‘Yeh sach nahi hai’: Neelam Kothari denies 90s link-up rumours with Govinda

Govinda and Neelam Kothari’s on-screen romance in films such as Ilzaam and Love 86 (1986) sparked massive popularity in the late 80s and early 90s. Their chemistry soon led to rumours about a real-life relationship, especially after Govinda openly admitted his feelings for Neelam in a past interview. While the actor spoke candidly about being deeply attracted to her, Neelam has repeatedly dismissed the speculation over the years, calling it media-created gossip.

Now, during a recent conversation on a podcast by Usha Kakade Productions, Neelam once again addressed the long-standing rumours and firmly denied having been romantically involved with Govinda.

Neelam Kothari reacts to rumours about Govinda

When the host asked Neelam about the gossip surrounding her alleged infatuation with Govinda before she married Sameer Soni, the actress appeared surprised and responded candidly.

“O teri, who said this? Govinda ji bahut hi acchhe insaan hain, magar yeh jo sawaal hai, yeh sach nahi hai (Govinda is a good human being, but this question is not true),” she said.

She further clarified, “He is a wonderful human being and we have done several hit films. But, this is not true. Sorry, sorry, but this isn’t true at all. There’s nothing between us.”

What Govinda had said about Neelam Kothari

In contrast to Neelam’s stance, Govinda had earlier spoken openly about his feelings for her in a 1990 interview with Stardust. The actor revealed that their frequent collaborations led to a close bond, which eventually turned into love from his side.

“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,” Govinda had said.

He further claimed that his attraction towards Neelam was so intense that it affected his personal life at the time. “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. I wanted to marry her. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that,” he added.

Where they stand today

Govinda married Sunita Ahuja in 1987, when he was 24 and she was 18. The couple has two children—daughter Tina and son Yashvardhan. In recent months, their marriage has been in the spotlight following Sunita’s allegations about Govinda’s alleged extra-marital involvement with a younger woman.

Neelam Kothari, meanwhile, married businessman Rishi Sethia in 2000, but the marriage ended in divorce soon after. Following a brief relationship with actor Sameer Soni, she married him in 2011. The couple adopted their daughter, Ahana, in 2013.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”