This movie was one of the first successful movies of Kapoor.[10] Govinda received the Star Screen Award Special Jury Award for his role in this movie as 'performer of the decade'.[11][12] Over the years, the movie has become a classic in Hindi film history and is now considered a cult film.[13] In 2020, Dhawan remade the film with the same name with his son Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan and Paresh Rawal.
Pandit Shadiram Gharjode (Sadashiv Amrapurkar) brings a prospective groom's family for Malti Choudhry (Karisma Kapoor). But when her father Choudhry Hoshiyar Chand (Kader Khan) learns that that family isn't filthy rich, he insults Gharjode. He vows to teach Hoshiyar Chand a lesson for his arrogance and pride.
On the way home, Shadiram Gharjode bumps into Raju Coolie (Govinda) a bus stand porter who proudly wears his badge - "Coolie No. 1". Raju is known among his fellow porters for being heroic, recently having gotten a drug dealer Mahesh (Mahesh Anand) arrested. When Raju is smitten by Malti's photo, Gharjode hatches a plan to get the poor porter married to Malti and exact his revenge. With Gharjode's guidance and the help of his best friend Deepak Mechanic (Harish Kumar), Raju poses as the prince of Singapore, Kunwar Mahendra Pratap Singh Mehta and wins Malti's heart. In the process, Malti's sister Shalini (Kaanchan) falls for Deepak.
Hoshiyar Chand gets Malti married to Raju, not knowing that he is just a poor porter. When Raju returns home with Malti after the wedding, he pretends that his "father" Gajendra Pratap Singh Mehta (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) has thrown him out of the house for getting married without his consent. Malti tries to make the best out of the given situation by cheering up Mahendra, which makes him feel guilty.
The trouble becomes double when Hoshiyar Chand comes to town to visit his daughter and son-in-law but spots Raju as a coolie at the bus stand. Hoshiyar Chand creates a ruckus, saying that Raju is a fraud who posed as a rich prince and married his daughter. Spontaneously, Raju pretends to not recognize Hoshiyar Chand and shoos him away. Raju comes home dressed as Mahendra and explains that Hoshiyar Chand must have seen his twin brother Raju who his father threw out due to his drinking and gambling addictions. Hoshiyar Chand buys this story and decides to get Shalini married to Raju, so that both his daughters will live filthy rich lives.
Raju keeps getting into trouble since he can be only at one place at one time. One such incident forces Raju, Malti and Hoshiyar Chand to file a missing complaint for Kunwar Mahendra Pratap Singh Mehta. Inspector Rakesh Pandey (Tiku Talsania) gets skeptical of the situation and starts to believe that Raju and his twin brother Mahendra are the same person.
Mahesh Pratap Mehta is disowned by his father Gajendra Pratap Singh Mehta due to his criminal activities. To get back at him and Raju, Mahesh stabs Gajendra and frames Raju for the same. Inspector Pandey arrives to arrest him, but Raju informs him that Gajendra is still alive and needs critical medical care, following which he escapes police custody. Raju runs to Deepak and both of them hatch a plan to pretend to be nurses from Singapore to save Gajendra's life, as that is Raju's only proof of innocence. At the hospital, Inspector Pandey tells Hoshiyar Chand, Malti and Shalini that Raju is just a poor porter who pretended to be Kunwar Mahendra Pratap Singh Mehta.
While trying to save Gajendra, Raju and Deepak bump into Malti, Hoshiyar Chand and Shalini, who comes to abort Shalini's unborn child who came because of Deepak. Raju confesses his fraud to Malti, and she forgives him. Hoshiyar Chand and Malti help Raju and Deepak to stop Mahesh from killing Gajendra. Once he gains consciousness, Gajendra announces that since Raju saved his life, he is like a son to him. Shalini also announces her love for Deepak. When Hoshiyar Chand cries about his sons-in-law being a porter and a mechanic, Shaadiram Gharjode arrives and tells Hoshiyar Chand that it was bound to happen to someone so arrogant and proud of his wealth. Gharjode explains that for a happy marriage, wealth isn't needed - love is.
On 8 March 2019, it was announced that the film will be remade, with David Dhawan as director again and with his son Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan playing the roles of Raju Coolie and Malti Choudhry. The first look poster of the remake Coolie No. 1 was released on 12 August 2019 on Khan's birthday. The film was originally scheduled to release on 1 May 2020 but was shifted to 25 December 2020 because of COVID-19 pandemic. This film started streaming on 25th December on Amazon Prime Video.[16][17]
Govind Arun Ahuja (born 21 December 1963) known mononymously as Govinda, is an Indian actor, comedian, dancer, singer and politician, who has appeared in more than 165 Hindi-language films. Considered one of the greatest and most culturally significant Indian actors of all time, Govinda is known for his slapstick performances and dancing skills. He has received 12 Filmfare Award nominations and won two Filmfare Special Awards and one Filmfare Award for Best Comedian. In June 1999, he was voted the tenth-greatest star of stage or screen in last thousand years by BBC News Online poll.[8]
Govinda was a member of the Parliament of India from 2004 to 2009. As the Indian National Congress party member, he was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) form the Mumbai North constituency of Maharashtra, India in the Lok Sabha elections of 2004.[13] In 2024, just before the Lok Sabha elections, he joined Shivsena.[14]
Govinda's father (Aroon Ahuja) hailed from Gujranwala, Punjab which is now in Punjab, Pakistan, Govinda's mother hailed from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. His father came to Mumbai to become an actor in the late 1930s. He is best known for appearing in Mehboob Khan's Aurat (1940).[16] Aroon's professional career as an actor lasted for 15 years, from 1939 to 1954. In these years, he worked as a hero in 30 films. He produced one unsuccessful film which caused financial loss.[16] The family, living in a bungalow on Mumbai's Carter Road, moved to Virar, a northern Mumbai suburb, where Govinda was born.[16] The youngest of 6 children,[17] he was given the pet name "Chi Chi," meaning "little finger" in Punjabi.[17][18]
After Govinda received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Vartak College, Vasai, his father suggested a career in films. Around this time, Govinda saw the film Disco Dancer (1982); afterward, he practiced for hours and circulated a promotional VHS cassette. He was offered jobs in a fertilizer commercial and an Allwyn ad.
In 1992, he starred in David Dhawan's action romantic comedy film Shola Aur Shabnam opposite actress Divya Bharti. The film was a box office success and Govinda's portrayal of a mischievous youngster and NCC cadet gained much praise.[20]
In 1994, while Govinda had moderate success in action films such as Khuddar and Dulaara,[23][24] the comedy film Raja Babu became a super hit. Govinda played the lead role of Raja, a wealthy villager, who falls in love with a girl but she rejects him upon learning about his background. Once again directed by David Dhawan, and starring alongside Karisma Kapoor, Shakti Kapoor, Kader Khan, Aruna Irani, and Prem Chopra, the cast received praise. Govinda's chemistry with Shakti Kapoor and Kader Khan are especially celebrated.
In 1995, Govinda starred in David Dhawan-directed Coolie No. 1, another super hit film. Featuring a cast of familiar actors Karisma Kapoor, Kader Khan, and Shakti Kapoor, along with Harish Kumar, Sadashiv Amrapurkar and Mahesh Anand, the film follows the story of Raju (Govinda), a coolie (labourer), who pretends to be a millionaire to marry an arrogant rich man's daughter, but he ends up falling in love with her. Govinda received the Star Screen Award Special Jury Award for his role in this movie as 'performer of the decade'.[25][26] Over the years, it has become a cult classic.[27] In 2020, Dhawan remade the film with the same name with his son Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan and Paresh Rawal. In the same year, Govinda also appeared in the action film Andolan, in which he co-starred alongside Sanjay Dutt for the first time. The film emerged as another success.[28]
In 1996, Govinda reunited with director David Dhawan again in the romantic comedy film Saajan Chale Sasural. After his first wife is presumed dead, Govinda in the role of Shyamsunder remarries. But when it is discovered that his first wife is alive, he has to juggle between his wives, keeping both his marriages a secret. Karisma Kapoor and Tabu feature in the roles of the two wives, while Kader Khan and Satish Kaushik play supporting roles. The film was declared a super hit and became the 2nd highest grossing Indian film of 1996.[29] The songs "Tum To Dhokebaz Ho" & "Dil Jaan Jigar Tujh Pe Nisaar" became popular.[30]
His career faced a setback during the early 2000s after a series of commercially unsuccessful films. His films,[44] Akhiyon Se Goli Maare,[45] Kyo Kii... Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta[46] and Ek Aur Ek Gyarah were all unsuccessful. Though he received nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Comedian for Kyo Kii... Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta (2001) and Akhiyon Se Goli Maare (2002).
Govinda then joined the Indian National Congress. He won a seat in Parliament from Mumbai North by defeating five-time MP Ram Naik, a former Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, by over 50,000 votes in the 2004 general election.
Govinda made a comeback to films in 2006 with the comedy Bhagam Bhag (directed by Priyadarshan), in which he appeared with Akshay Kumar and Lara Dutta. It was Govinda and Kumar's first film together.
His first release of 2007 was director Nikhil Advani's big-budget ensemble romantic comedy-drama, Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love. The all-star cast also included Shannon Esra, Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Akshaye Khanna, Ayesha Takia, John Abraham, Vidya Balan, Sohail Khan and Isha Koppikar. Govinda played Raju, a taxi driver who helps the Caucasian Stephanie (Esra) who is frantically trying to find her lover. Raju eventually falls in love with her. Although the film was a box office disappointment, Govinda's performance was praised.[47]
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