Why Govinda reportedly refused to work with Sushmita Sen in Biwi No. 1

The 1999 film Biwi No. 1 remains one of the most iconic and memorable comedies from David Dhawan's No. 1 series. The hilarious chemistry between Salman Khan, Karisma Kapoor, and Sushmita Sen made it a massive blockbuster. However, an interesting piece of Bollywood trivia reveals that the film’s star-studded cast almost looked entirely different, with several big names originally slated for the main roles.

Govinda was the first choice for the lead

Director David Dhawan’s original choice for the lead role of Prem, the cheating husband, was not Salman Khan but his longtime collaborator Govinda. Reports in DNA suggest that Govinda initially agreed to do the film but allegedly had reservations about working with Sushmita Sen. He reportedly insisted that she be replaced.


When the filmmakers refused his demand, Govinda chose to opt out of the project. Another report claims that he returned the advance payment, explaining that he had already played similar roles in two other films and didn’t want to repeat himself. The role eventually went to Salman Khan, and the film went on to gross over Rs 41.6 crore worldwide on a Rs 12 crore budget.

A completely different cast was planned

The casting changes didn’t end there. Karisma Kapoor, who delivered an iconic performance as the titular Biwi No. 1, was reportedly not the first choice. The makers had originally considered Manisha Koirala for the role. Additionally, Anil Kapoor’s memorable supporting part was initially written for Sanjay Dutt.

The fallout with David Dhawan

Govinda’s refusal to star in Biwi No. 1 reportedly strained his legendary partnership with David Dhawan, with whom he had worked on 17 successful films. Tensions reportedly escalated further after their 2009 collaboration Do Knot Disturb. Govinda later claimed that he had pitched the idea for Chashme Baddoor, but Dhawan went on to cast Rishi Kapoor instead. In a 2015 interview, Govinda confirmed that unresolved issues had fractured their relationship and that he had intentionally distanced himself from the director.

An iconic line was pure improvisation

Despite the casting reshuffles, the final ensemble was widely appreciated — especially the on-screen chemistry between Salman Khan and Sushmita Sen. Sushmita later told the Indian Express that one of her most famous lines was completely improvised.

“The line ‘Haye mera bachcha’ wasn’t in the script,” she revealed. “I thought the scene was over, so I just hugged Salman and said, ‘Haye mera bachcha.’ The camera was still rolling, and David kept it! So, it’s actually my own lingo.”

Interestingly, Govinda and Sushmita Sen did eventually share screen space in the 2001 film Kyo Kii... Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta.