Govinda's career in Bollywood was marked by numerous on-screen pairings, but his chemistry with Neelam Kothari stood out, captivating audiences and fueling speculation about their relationship. While the two actors delivered several memorable performances together, Govinda's personal life was undergoing a complex journey, intertwined with his then-fiancée, Sunita Ahuja. In a candid interview years later, Govinda confessed to the emotional turmoil he experienced and the difficult choices he made during that period.
Govinda and Sunita's relationship began before his Bollywood debut. According to Govinda, their initial involvement was a calculated decision on his part to gain experience in romance, a confession he admits he "paid a heavy price for." They kept their relationship a secret in the film industry. However, as Govinda's career took off, he found himself drawn to Neelam, with whom he shared undeniable on-screen chemistry. He admitted to "losing heart" to her and confessed his desire to marry her, even to the point of calling off his engagement with Sunita.
In a 1990 interview with Stardust, Govinda openly expressed his feelings for Neelam, stating that their frequent collaborations led to a growing fondness. He described Neelam as a woman any man would lose his heart to. "And we had so many films together. We met so often and the more I got to know her, the more I liked her... She was the kind of woman any man would have lost his heart to. I lost mine," he said in the interview.
Govinda's internal conflict reached a boiling point, causing friction with Sunita. He confessed to constantly praising Neelam to Sunita, even suggesting that Sunita should change herself to be more like Neelam. This caused tension and arguments between them, leading to a temporary break-up. "I asked Sunita to leave me. I broke off my engagement with her. And had Sunita not called me after five days and coaxed me into it again, I would probably have married Neelam," Govinda revealed.
Ultimately, Govinda chose to honor his commitment to Sunita, and they secretly married on March 11, 1987. However, he kept the marriage hidden from the public for a year, fearing it would damage his career and his popular on-screen pairing with Neelam. This decision led to Govinda's confession that he "played dirty" with Neelam by not informing her about his marriage.
"Neither did Neelam know about it. She got to know only after a year. I probably did not tell her because I did not want to break this successful screen pair. And to be honest, to a certain extent, I did exploit my personal relationship with Neelam for professional ends. I played dirty with her. I should have told her that I was married," Govinda admitted.
Neelam, however, has stated that there was never any romance between her and Govinda. She attributed rumours to the nature of the film industry at the time, where doing multiple films together often led to speculation of romantic involvement. In a 2024 interview, Neelam clarified that she was never in a romantic relationship with Govinda, attributing the rumors to the sensationalized media coverage of the time. She highlighted how the absence of social media made it quite difficult for the stars to interact with their fans, and thus, they couldn't issue any clarifications then. “I think link-ups were part of the whole game. There were more link-up stories back then because no one could clarify. They just printed whatever they wanted to,” Neelam told Hauterrfly.
Govinda and Sunita have two children, a daughter, Tina Ahuja, and a son, Yashvardhan. In 2014, Govinda and Sunita officially renewed their wedding vows with a grand celebration.
Recently, rumors of a potential divorce between Govinda and Sunita surfaced, with reports suggesting they had been living separately. However, Sunita has since clarified these rumors, dismissing them and asserting her unwavering commitment to her marriage with Govinda. She stated firmly that no one could separate them.
