Govinda and Sunita Ahuja clash over son Yashvardhan's debut: 'If we don't help him, who will?'

Dubai: The cracks in Govinda and Sunita Ahuja's marriage have become even more visible this week, as the couple publicly contradict each other over how much support their son Yashvardhan has received on his path to Bollywood stardom.

Govinda, one of Hindi cinema's most beloved entertainers, has responded to comments made by his wife Sunita Ahuja regarding their son Yashvardhan's entry into the film industry. Sunita had claimed that Govinda played no role in helping their son, prompting the actor to set the record straight in a conversation with ANI.

The exchange has shone an uncomfortable spotlight on the family's internal dynamics, arriving at a particularly sensitive time as Yashvardhan prepares for his long-awaited cinema debut.

According to Govinda, he did in fact step in to help his son by reaching out to one of Bollywood's most prominent producers. "I asked Nadiadwala to guide my son, and he helped him learn different aspects of filmmaking," the actor told ANI, referring to filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala.

Govinda also spoke about his son's potential with great pride, saying "Yash will become a better actor than me. He is technically stronger than me. He is huge," suggesting he has always believed deeply in Yashvardhan's abilities.

Sunita Ahuja, however, painted a starkly different picture in her interview with Miss Malini. Far from describing a supportive father behind the scenes, she portrayed Yashvardhan as someone who has had to fight for every opportunity entirely on his own.

"Yash is a self-made boy. He hasn't taken help from his father. He has given 90 auditions, being Govinda's son. He didn't ask Govinda to call anyone. Govinda also never helped Yash," she said, making no attempt to soften her words.

Sunita went further, revealing she had confronted her husband directly about his lack of involvement. "I told Govinda in his face, are you a father or not? If you won't help our kids, who will?" she said. She then pointed to other Bollywood fathers as examples of how things should be done. "See Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff, how they all are supporting their sons."

Sunita didn't stop there. She went on to question the influence of those around her husband, suggesting that the people in Govinda's circle have had a damaging effect on both his judgment and his career.

"I told Govinda that he has to support his son, but I don't understand his thinking. The company that he keeps is so bad, I don't know what they teach him. His own career is ruined," she said bluntly, delivering perhaps her most stinging assessment yet.

Amidst the back and forth, Govinda also addressed his decision to leave politics, a chapter of his life that had taken him away from the film industry for a period. He made clear that family was the driving force behind that choice.

"I left politics for my family as I did not want political life to hamper my family life and have an adverse effect on them, especially my children. So I stepped out of politics," he said, presenting himself as someone who has consistently made sacrifices for those he loves.

Despite the family tensions playing out in public, exciting news is emerging about Yashvardhan's career. Various reports suggest that director Sajid Khan is set to launch him as the lead actor in his next film. The project is also expected to feature Nitanshi Goel, who won widespread praise for her performance in the critically acclaimed Laapataa Ladies.

If the reports are accurate, Yashvardhan's debut could be one of the more anticipated launches in recent Bollywood memory, not least because of the famous name he carries.

Areeba Hashmi is a trainee at Gulf News.