Former CBFC Chief Pahlaj Nihalani Passes Away at Mumbai Nanavati Hospital
Film producer and former Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani passed away on Thursday, June 4, at Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai. Nihalani, who had been suffering for the past four months, died after being diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.
Nihalani was widely recognized for his extensive work in the Hindi film industry, which included launching the career of actor Govinda. The two shared a deep professional and personal association early on in Govinda's career, though they later experienced an alleged fallout that the producer had addressed in an interview.
In an interview with Vickey Lalwani, Nihalani had reflected on the souring of his relationship with Govinda, placing the blame on director David Dhawan. Nihalani claimed that Dhawan had actively poisoned Govinda's mind against him during a critical transition period in the actor's career.
According to Nihalani, Govinda was primarily a single-screen hero. When multiplexes began to dominate the market, people stopped Govinda's films from being released. Nihalani noted that after the release of the film 'Partner', many of Govinda's subsequent films were either stalled or prevented from being shown to audiences.
Speaking about the situation, Nihalani had said, "Jab Govinda ka time aaya Partner ke baad toh uski filmein jitni aayi, logon ne usko neecha dikhaaya aur shows chalne nahi diye." He explained that after 'Partner', people looked down on Govinda's films and did not let his shows run.
Nihalani stated that Dhawan, who was working with Govinda at the time, poisoned the actor's mind. Nihalani believed Dhawan did this because they felt Nihalani was making money, despite the fact that Nihalani's films had established their names in the industry.
In addition to the fallout, Nihalani had also addressed Govinda's famous claims regarding the Hollywood film 'Avatar'. Govinda had previously claimed that he was offered a role in the James Cameron directorial. Responding to these claims, Nihalani had remarked, "Woh Avatar meri picture thi."
The producer's passing has brought renewed attention to his past statements, his contributions to the film industry, and his historical relationships with major Bollywood figures.
