Key takeaways
- Coolie No. 1, Hero No. 1, Haseena Maan Jaayegi and Raja Babu are among Govinda’s best-loved films.
- 11 of the 15 films on this list were directed by David Dhawan.
- Aankhen was the highest-grossing Indian film of 1993.
- He won Filmfare awards for Saajan Chale Sasural and Haseena Maan Jaayegi.
- Partner (2007) with Salman Khan was his biggest later hit.
The best Govinda movies include Coolie No. 1 (1995), Hero No. 1 (1997), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999), Aankhen (1993), Raja Babu (1994), Saajan Chale Sasural (1996), Dulhe Raja (1998) and Partner (2007). Most of his biggest hits came with director David Dhawan, but his early action films and a few later roles also deserve a place on the list.
Govinda has acted in more than 120 Hindi films since his first release, Ilzaam, in 1986. He won a Filmfare Special Award for Saajan Chale Sasural and the Filmfare Award for Best Comedian for Haseena Maan Jaayegi. The 15 films below are arranged by year, with the director and the reason each one matters.
Govinda best movies: quick list
| Film | Year | Director | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ilzaam | 1986 | Shibu Mitra | First release, a box office hit |
| Hatya | 1988 | Kirti Kumar | Emotional action drama |
| Hum | 1991 | Mukul S. Anand | Shared screen with Amitabh and Rajinikanth |
| Shola Aur Shabnam | 1992 | David Dhawan | Start of the comic hero phase |
| Aankhen | 1993 | David Dhawan | Highest-grossing Indian film of 1993 |
| Raja Babu | 1994 | David Dhawan | Iconic small-town character |
| Coolie No. 1 | 1995 | David Dhawan | Cult classic, remade in 2020 |
| Saajan Chale Sasural | 1996 | David Dhawan | Filmfare Special Award |
| Hero No. 1 | 1997 | David Dhawan | Family comedy, Bawarchi adaptation |
| Deewana Mastana | 1997 | David Dhawan | Rivalry comedy with Anil Kapoor |
| Dulhe Raja | 1998 | Harmesh Malhotra | Big hit without David Dhawan |
| Bade Miyan Chote Miyan | 1998 | David Dhawan | Double roles with Amitabh Bachchan |
| Haseena Maan Jaayegi | 1999 | David Dhawan | Filmfare Best Comedian award |
| Jodi No. 1 | 2001 | David Dhawan | Buddy comedy hit with Sanjay Dutt |
| Partner | 2007 | David Dhawan | Comeback blockbuster with Salman Khan |
1. Ilzaam (1986)
Directed by Shibu Mitra and produced by Pahlaj Nihalani, Ilzaam was Govinda’s first film to reach theatres. He starred alongside Shatrughan Sinha, Shashi Kapoor, Neelam and Anita Raj, and the film did well at the box office.
The film introduced Govinda as a dancing action hero, the image that carried him through the late 1980s. Bappi Lahiri composed the music.
Why watch: To see where the Govinda story started.
2. Hatya (1988)
Kirti Kumar directed and produced this drama. Govinda plays Sagar, a grieving street performer who takes in a mute boy after the child witnesses a murder. The rest of the film follows Sagar as he protects the boy from the killers.
It is one of the few films from this period where Govinda carries a serious, emotional role from start to finish. Neelam and Anupam Kher are also in the cast.
Why watch: It shows his range before comedy took over.
3. Hum (1991)
Mukul S. Anand’s action drama put Govinda next to Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth. It was the second highest-grossing Indian film of 1991, and its song “Jumma Chumma De De” won Chinni Prakash the Filmfare award for choreography.
Govinda held his own in a film led by two of the biggest stars in the country. That gave him credibility as a lead who could share space in a multi-star film.
Why watch: A big 1990s multi-starrer with three very different screen styles.
4. Shola Aur Shabnam (1992)
This was the film where the Govinda and David Dhawan combination clicked. Govinda plays a mischievous NCC cadet opposite Divya Bharti, with Gulshan Grover and Anupam Kher in support. It was the fourth highest-grossing Indian film of 1992.
The playful energy he brings to the cadet role became the base for most of his 1990s characters.
Why watch: The first sign of the comic hero he would become.
5. Aankhen (1993)
Govinda plays a double role in this David Dhawan comedy, with Chunky Pandey as his partner in mischief and Kader Khan, Shakti Kapoor and Raj Babbar in key parts. It became the highest-grossing Indian film of 1993.
The success of Aankhen settled the question of what audiences wanted from Govinda. From here on, comedy was his main lane. The film was later remade in Telugu as Pokiri Raja.
Why watch: The film that made him a full-time comedy star.
6. Raja Babu (1994)
A remake of K. Bhagyaraj’s Tamil film Rasukutty, Raja Babu casts Govinda as a pampered, uneducated village man. Karisma Kapoor plays the female lead, with Kader Khan, Aruna Irani and Shakti Kapoor in support.
The loud clothes, the attitude and the dialogues of Raja Babu are still widely recognised, and the character turns up regularly in memes. It was a major hit.
Why watch: One of his most quoted characters.
7. Coolie No. 1 (1995)
Govinda plays a railway coolie who pretends to be a rich man to marry the girl he loves, played by Karisma Kapoor. The film is a remake of the Tamil hit Chinna Mapillai (1993).
It was a super hit and is now seen as a cult classic. David Dhawan remade it in 2020 with his son Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan, which shows how strong the original’s pull remains.
Why watch: If you watch only one Govinda film, start here.
8. Saajan Chale Sasural (1996)
Based on the Telugu film Allari Mogudu, this comedy has Govinda as a man who ends up married to two women, played by Karisma Kapoor and Tabu. Kader Khan and Satish Kaushik add to the confusion.
The film was one of the top hits of 1996 and earned Govinda the Filmfare Special Award. It proved he could hold a film built entirely on timing and situational comedy.
Why watch: His first Filmfare win came from this role.
9. Hero No. 1 (1997)
An adaptation of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Bawarchi (1972), Hero No. 1 has Govinda taking up a job as a servant in a large, quarrelling joint family to win over Karisma Kapoor’s character. Paresh Rawal, Satish Shah and Kader Khan are part of the household.
It is a cleaner, family-friendly comedy than some of his other 1990s films, which is why it still plays well on television.
Why watch: A good pick for a family movie night.
10. Deewana Mastana (1997)
Govinda and Anil Kapoor play two very different men chasing the same woman, a psychiatrist played by Juhi Chawla. Johnny Lever and Anupam Kher are in supporting roles, and Salman Khan has a cameo that changes how the story ends.
Govinda’s character is a nervous man full of phobias, and his scenes with Anil Kapoor drive most of the laughs.
Why watch: Two strong comic actors trying to outdo each other.
11. Dulhe Raja (1998)
Directed by Harmesh Malhotra, Dulhe Raja pairs Govinda with Raveena Tandon and sets up a face-off with Kader Khan’s character. Johnny Lever, Prem Chopra and Asrani fill out the cast.
It was one of the biggest hits of 1998 and stands out as a major 1990s success that David Dhawan did not direct. That made it clear his appeal did not depend on one filmmaker.
Why watch: Proof that Govinda’s comedy worked beyond one partnership.
12. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998)
Govinda and Amitabh Bachchan both play double roles in this action comedy, which is loosely inspired by Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors. Raveena Tandon, Ramya Krishnan, Paresh Rawal and Anupam Kher are also in the film.
Govinda was nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor award for it. Matching Amitabh Bachchan scene for scene in a comedy was no small task, and audiences responded well.
Why watch: Two stars in four roles and a lot of mistaken identity.
13. Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999)
Govinda and Sanjay Dutt lead this comedy with Karisma Kapoor and Pooja Batra. Govinda plays Monu and also appears in disguise as an elderly “Chachaji”, one of the most remembered bits of his career.
The film was the fifth-highest-grossing Hindi film of 1999. It won him the Filmfare Award for Best Comedian.
Why watch: Many fans rate this as his funniest performance.
14. Jodi No. 1 (2001)
Govinda reunited with Sanjay Dutt for this buddy comedy, with Twinkle Khanna, Monica Bedi and Anupam Kher in the cast. Box Office India declared it a hit.
The chemistry between the two leads is the whole point of the film, and it works. Govinda received a Filmfare nomination for his role.
Why watch: One of the better buddy comedies of the early 2000s.
15. Partner (2007)
Inspired by the Hollywood film Hitch, Partner has Salman Khan as a love guru and Govinda as the awkward man who seeks his help. Katrina Kaif and Lara Dutta play the female leads.
The film earned about Rs 100.91 crore worldwide and was the fourth highest-grossing Hindi film of 2007. It brought Govinda back into the mainstream and won him the IIFA award for Best Comedian. You can read what Govinda told Salman Khan before Partner.
Why watch: Govinda at his comic best in a modern setting.
Other Govinda films worth watching
- Shikari (2000): N. Chandra’s thriller has Govinda in an anti-hero role opposite Karisma Kapoor and Tabu.
- Bhagam Bhag (2006): Priyadarshan’s comedy with Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal. It was a comeback hit for him.
- Raavan (2010): A small role in Mani Ratnam’s film as a forest department employee, and it drew praise.
- Kill Dil (2014): Shaad Ali cast him as Bhaiyaji, a gangster, opposite Ranveer Singh and Parineeti Chopra. The film did not do well, but critics liked his performance.
Why most of Govinda’s best films are with David Dhawan
Out of the 15 films in this list, 11 were directed by David Dhawan. The pair made more than a dozen films together between 1989 and 2009, and nearly all of Govinda’s biggest 1990s comedies came from this partnership.
Dhawan gave Govinda room to improvise and built films around his timing and dancing. The same set of supporting actors, including Kader Khan, Shakti Kapoor, Satish Kaushik and Anupam Kher, appeared again and again, which gave these films a familiar feel. Govinda has spoken about why the two eventually stopped working together, which you can read in our report on why Govinda and David Dhawan stopped working together.
How to pick your first Govinda movie
- For pure comedy, start with Coolie No. 1 or Haseena Maan Jaayegi.
- For a family watch, choose Hero No. 1.
- For a multi-starrer, go with Hum or Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.
- To see a different side of him, try Hatya or Shikari.
- For a newer film, pick Partner or Bhagam Bhag.
Streaming rights for older Hindi films change often, so check your preferred platform before you plan a movie night. Govinda’s reputation off the set has also been a talking point; he addressed the latecomer tag in this interview.
Frequently asked questions
Which is Govinda’s best movie?
There is no single official answer, but Coolie No. 1 (1995) and Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999) are the most often named. The second won him the Filmfare Best Comedian award.
What was Govinda’s first movie?
His first release was Ilzaam (1986), directed by Shibu Mitra. Some sources name Tan-Badan or Love 86, both from 1986, as his debut instead.
Which Govinda movie was the highest grosser of its year?
Aankhen (1993), directed by David Dhawan, was the highest-grossing Indian film of 1993.
Which awards has Govinda won for his films?
He won the Filmfare Special Award for Saajan Chale Sasural and the Filmfare Best Comedian award for Haseena Maan Jaayegi. He also won the IIFA Best Comedian award for Partner.
How many films has Govinda done?
Govinda has acted in more than 120 Hindi films since 1986.
Sources: Govinda (Wikipedia), David Dhawan filmography (Wikipedia), Aankhen 1993 (Wikipedia), Partner 2007 (Wikipedia).
