In an exclusive interview with Leharen Retro, actor Govind Namdev revealed that after the release of OMG, there was a significant change in his life, leading him to stop donating money to temples.
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00:00 Sir, I would like to ask you something about 'OMG'.
00:03 When 'OMG' came out, it was a big hit with Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal ji was with you.
00:09 Your role was also very important in it.
00:11 And then its sequel also came out.
00:13 That was also a hit, although it was less in front of 'Gadar 2', but it also did a good collection at the box office.
00:19 So, the message that was given to the public in a way from both these films,
00:24 and the success of the films that the audience liked, how do you see it now?
00:30 We see it in a positive way.
00:34 The message that was given in this film,
00:38 no one has dared to give such a message.
00:42 How big is this thing?
00:44 And with so much confidence.
00:47 And I can't praise the director enough.
00:54 The way he wrote, the way he must have thought, the way he thought,
00:59 and he knows that when such a subject will be seen in films,
01:06 then what will be his reaction.
01:08 So, to balance that reaction, how will the film have to be designed?
01:16 These things are not of an ordinary man.
01:21 When such films come out, people also oppose.
01:25 They oppose what they are showing.
01:28 But today the situation is that teachers want to show, parents want to show their children.
01:34 Their own safety.
01:36 Children should know bad touch and good touch.
01:40 When it is time for menstruation, how to deal with it, that should be shown.
01:46 How these bogus doctors mislead such children.
01:52 How they blackmail them.
01:54 All these things have come out today.
01:58 What parents could not say to their children themselves,
02:01 this is what a film says.
02:03 When a film says, what a big message it is in itself.
02:07 Did the film have any impact on your life?
02:10 Did you feel any change?
02:12 That no, this should not happen.
02:14 These are all things of a bogus.
02:16 Your family, your background,
02:19 from the beginning, you have always had a feeling of faith in God.
02:25 You are also a big devotee of Sai Baba.
02:28 And other things,
02:30 you follow the spiritual aspects of devotion strictly.
02:35 So how much did the effect of OMG come in your life or change?
02:41 When OMG was released, the first OMG,
02:45 so,
02:47 during its shooting and even after watching the film,
02:51 and during the shooting itself, when we studied such people,
02:57 so we hated such people.
03:01 Who blackmail people in the name of religion, in the name of God,
03:08 who forget them with their religious feelings.
03:15 Seeing all these things, we hated them.
03:18 And I used to have a lot of faith that,
03:22 yes, give me this much money, give me this money,
03:24 I stopped giving money.
03:26 And I used to go to Siddhi Vinay,
03:28 so when the film was released,
03:31 I went there after 15-20 days.
03:35 So, they said, "Brother, what have you done?
03:40 People are not coming here anymore.
03:43 The worship that used to be done, is not happening.
03:47 What have you done?"
03:50 I said, "Sir, we have not done anything.
03:53 We have pointed out such bogus people.
03:59 The genuine ones are going to stay.
04:03 So, the public will decide for themselves,
04:06 who is genuine and who is not.
04:08 This is the initial reaction.
04:10 You will see, everything will be fine in future,
04:13 if you are genuine, we are genuine, or the temple is genuine.
04:17 So, its reaction was this,
04:20 and since then I have stopped giving money.
04:23 This change has come.
04:26 We should not blindly follow such people.
04:32 This is the awakening.
04:34 And this is what we have taught our children,
04:37 in our friend circle, our relatives,
04:41 we have told everyone this.
04:43 And everyone has followed it.
04:45 Why should you blindly follow?
04:47 Until you don't believe in their deity,
04:51 how will you blindly follow them,
04:54 and keep doing according to them?
04:56 You will donate too, you will not follow them.
04:59 That's it.
05:00 You established yourself as a theatre artist,
05:04 then as an actor, and also gained fame through films.
05:07 An artist's desire is that his art should be respected everywhere.
05:11 But if we talk about Bollywood,
05:13 do you think that only the hero, or the heroines,
05:17 or the characters around them, get more respect?
05:20 Especially if we talk about awards,
05:22 whether it is a film fair, or a screen, or a national award.
05:26 Such respect is very rare among the supporting actors.
05:31 So, this partiality seen from the film industry,
05:35 do you regret that we did not get the leading awards?
05:41 Regret? I have told you that I don't think much about it.
05:49 But I do feel a lack, of this kind.
05:53 Why does this happen?
05:55 There were many chances when I could have easily got it.
06:01 If we talk about this heritage,
06:03 then I could have got it for supporting,
06:06 for the headliners, for Satya,
06:09 for Kachche Dhaage.
06:12 There are many such films,
06:15 I could have got it for Oh My God.
06:18 There are such performances, which could have been there.
06:21 If I didn't get it, then it's okay.
06:24 I regret that there should be some change in the system,
06:28 which can support such artists with an impartiality,
06:34 and can acknowledge the work of such artists.
06:36 The way there was a controversy about OMG,
06:39 and the way the censor board was stopping,
06:42 the films which are cut, not only OMG,
06:45 there are other films like Purush,
06:47 which are victims of the cuts of the censor board.
06:50 In which the directors and producers lose their freedom.
06:53 And the ones who want to give a good message to the society,
06:56 but they are victims of the cuts.
06:58 So, your opposition was justified.
07:00 But this kind of understanding,
07:02 there is a constant effort to bring about change,
07:05 that when the new censor board chairman comes,
07:08 he will bring about change.
07:10 But those changes are not within the government policies.
07:14 The one who comes there,
07:16 that person has to be brought about change.
07:19 Until he brings about change, it cannot happen.
07:22 It cannot happen from outside.
07:24 A sensible person should go inside,
07:27 who can convince them.
07:30 The feelings that we express,
07:33 and the good that we think is good for the society,
07:36 should be highlighted.
07:38 The bad that is for the society,
07:41 should not come out, or should be changed.
07:44 If a person of this understanding goes there,
07:47 if he tries to bring about change,
07:50 then change will come.
07:52 Otherwise it will not come.
07:54 So, many great singers,
07:56 and other prominent personalities,
07:58 have not been able to do anything.
08:00 It has not happened.
08:01 What message would you like to give to your fans?
08:04 I would like to give this message to newcomers,
08:07 that the performing art,
08:10 always requires practice.
08:15 With the lack of practice,
08:18 either the actor becomes less, or he ends.
08:21 As an actor, as a performer,
08:24 do not reduce your practices.
08:27 Make practice your habit.
08:30 This is very important.
08:32 Whatever time you have in the morning,
08:35 keep it for practice only.
08:38 Whatever you feel as a lack of an actor,
08:42 try to remove those shortcomings,
08:45 in those particular hours.
08:48 I have done this,
08:51 that is why I am telling you.
08:53 And there are many benefits of this.
08:56 (Music)