For many years, rumors have circulated about this actor Govinda was the first choice to play Tara Singh in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha before the end of the episode Sunny Deol. Director Anil Sharma has now put the speculations to rest, saying that the film was always made with Sunny Deol in mind.Speaking to Shubhankar Mishra, Sharma dismissed the long-standing issue, calling it a misunderstanding.“There are many misconceptions around this. It is very false. Govinda ji is one of my favorite actors, and I had worked with him earlier in Maharaja. I think he may have said somewhere that Gadar was given to him, which caused this misunderstanding. I want to clarify this today,” said Sharma.
‘From day one, I was thinking about Sunny Deol’
Explaining her role, Sharma revealed that there are only two actors who can imagine Tara Singh.“I never thought of any other actor except Sunny Deol for Gadar. From the day I became pregnant with this story, I felt that only Sunny Deol could do it. In my mind, there were only two names – either young Dharmendra or Sunny Deol. Since I could not find young Dharmendra, Sunny Deol became the obvious and only choice,” he said.The filmmaker also said that Sunny’s personality is well suited to a person’s needs.“Sunny Deol has a great sense of humor, although people don’t see it openly. I knew he would carry the humor beautifully, and the strong parts were his strength. For me, there was no one else to play.”
How the conflict with Govinda began
Sharma also explained how Govinda would feel that he is being considered for the film.Recalling what happened at the time of Maharaja’s shooting, he said, “Govinda ji asked me what I was doing next. Maybe he didn’t hear that part. When you explain an idea to a player, they naturally think you’re explaining it to them. “He emphasized that the film had already been closed with Sunny Deol at that time.“When I explained the idea, Sunny Deol had already signed the film. I wasn’t explaining to cast Govinda. I just shared the story because he asked what I was working on.”
Has anyone played Tara Singh?
When asked if any other actor would have been without Sunny Deol, Sharma admitted that it would have been very difficult.“At that time, nobody could have done it. Maybe a young Dharmendra, a young Amitabh Bachchan or a young Dilip Kumar. Beyond them, I don’t think anyone could have played Tara Singh.”When asked if Salman Khan from the time of Tere Naam could he have suited the role, Sharma replied, “Perhaps Salman Khan of that time, or a little later when he had muscles and strength, could have tried. But during the making of Gadar, I never thought of him.”
‘Govinda did not deserve this position’
The filmmaker concluded by reiterating that Govinda was never considered as Tara Singh because of his own ambitions.“I cast Govinda in Maharaja because I saw the combination of Dilip Kumar and Dharmendra in that role, and he did amazing. But for Gadar, he never made the right choice. Even if Sunny Deol was there, it would have been difficult because of Govinda’s image. For me, Sunny Deol was always the right choice and alone.”
