Aruna Irani Reveals She Was Scared to Romance Govinda in Popular Movie “Haseena Maan Jaayegi” And Being Hesitant For Bold Roles – Woman’s era Magazine
Remember the 1999 comedy blockbuster Haseena Maan Jaayegi? While fans still cherish the crackling chemistry between Govinda and Karisma Kapoor, one of the film’s most surprising twists was veteran actress Aruna Irani romancing and flirting with Govinda on screen. Now, years later, Aruna Irani has opened up about her hesitation in taking up that bold role. In a recent interview, the seasoned actress revealed that she was initially uncomfortable with the idea of playing a romantic character opposite Govinda.
Aruna Irani
Aruna Irani Revealed She Was Hesitant
She said as she had portrayed his mother in several previous films, and that image had strongly registered with audiences so she didn’t wanted to romance him. “I told David ji that I play Govinda’s mother in every film. This image has become so strong that if I suddenly play a romantic and flirtatious role with him, people would not accept it. Please cast someone else. I don’t want to play this role,” Aruna shared candidly.
Aruna Irani
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However, director David Dhawan was firm in his vision. According to Aruna, he reassured her and insisted that she was perfect for the part. “No, Aruna ji, you do this role. And you’ll see how much people will like you,” he told her. Though nervous, she decided to trust his instincts and it paid off. Aruna admitted that she remained hesitant even during the shoot. She constantly worried about how audiences would react. But Govinda himself encouraged her.
Aruna Irani
“He would motivate me and say, ‘Do it, it will be nice.’ I would practice and then perform. We would laugh a lot on set,” she recalled. The film, which also starred Sanjay Dutt and Pooja Batra, turned out to be a massive hit and was the fifth highest-grossing film of 1999. Interestingly, the unconventional romantic track between Govinda and Aruna Irani added a unique comic twist that audiences thoroughly enjoyed.
Aruna Irani
Over time, Haseena Maan Jaayegi has become one of Govinda’s most celebrated performances, with his dual act as Monu and Chachaji earning him widespread praise and awards. As for Aruna Irani, her bold decision to break her on-screen mother image proved that sometimes, stepping out of one’s comfort zone creates cinematic magic which was beautifully shown in the movie.
