Govinda turns down Alia’s father’s role in Shandaar

By Subhash K. Jha -

August 6, 2014 - 2:22 PM IST

Govinda turns down Alia’s father’s role in Shandaar

For weeks there was speculation that Govinda would be playing Alia Bhatt's father in Vikas Bahl's Shandaar featuring Shahid Kapoor. However, Govinda has finally turned down the coveted part for various reasons, mainly monetary.

Says a source close to the project, "We were very keen to get Govinda to play Alia's father. It's a role of Alia's happy-go-lucky father and very important to the script. We even agreed to give Govinda top billing in the credit titles over and above Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. We would have closed the deal. But we came to a dead- end with the money issue."

Govinda turns down Alia’s father’s role in Shandaar

Apparently, Govinda asked for a fee that was equivalent to Shahid's remuneration. Says the source regretfully, "We offered Govinda the second-most important part after Shahid's. He seemed kicked. But then he asked for a fee that no one would pay him. We tried to convince him to bring his fee down. But he wouldn't budge."

Govinda cited date problems as a reason for his inability to do Shandaar. Apparently, he wants to spend the next two months promoting his home production Abhinay Chakra, and has no time to face the camera.

With Govinda gone, Shandaar needs a 45-year old cool dude who can palm as someone young at heart.

The source from the project refutes all rumours of Karan Johar being approached to play the father. "Not true at all. Karan Johar wasn't even approached."