After Govinda's mother's death, actor reveals he walked into the Narmada River. How it changed actor's outlook on his career

Govinda has recently opened up about one of the most painful periods of his life, recalling the impact of losing his mother, Nirmala Devi, in 1996. The actor shared how deeply attached he was to her and how her death left him struggling to cope with the loss. In a recent conversation, Govinda also recalled an incident at the Narmada River that made him rethink his life and eventually changed the way he viewed his career, fame and success.

Govinda recalls the pain of losing his mother

Nirmala Devi, a respected Hindustani classical vocalist and actor, died on June 15, 1996, at the age of 69. For Govinda, the loss was devastating. He recalled feeling overwhelmed by grief and reaching a point where he believed that his life had effectively come to an end.

Speaking to ANI, Govinda described the period as one of tremendous emotional pain. He said that after his mother’s death, he found it extremely difficult to accept that she was no longer with him.




The actor then recalled visiting the Narmada River during that difficult phase. He said, "So, I was at the Narmada River, I thought I would go a little farther into the river and that I would meet my mother again. So, I went into the river."

When asked if the incident could be considered an attempt to end his life, Govinda acknowledged that it was somewhat similar. However, he explained that his actions came from his overwhelming attachment to his mother and his inability to process the loss at that moment.

Govinda said he did not think of life and death in conventional terms. Instead, he described life as something that continues in different forms, reflecting the spiritual perspective he developed over time.

A sadhu’s intervention changed Govinda’s thinking

While Govinda was in the river, an encounter with a sadhu became a turning point. The actor recalled that the man, whom he now remembers as Ram Kundal, called out to him and approached him.

Govinda said he came out of the river after the sadhu spoke to him and asked what had happened. The brief interaction made the actor pause and think about what he was doing.

According to Govinda, the incident helped him "realise, actually someone said to me this at that time that I was doing something wrong... And I learned a lesson, I realised that I have to live for my children."

The actor revealed that recovering emotionally was not immediate. It took him around 10 to 15 days to gradually come out of that state of mind. With time, he began to see that there was still a purpose to his life and that he had more experiences ahead of him.

The episode also became a huge point in the way Govinda looked at his personal priorities. Instead of allowing grief to completely consume him, he began focusing on his family and the responsibilities he still had.

How his mother changed his view of stardom

The loss of his mother also had a lasting impact on Govinda’s approach to his career. The actor said that films, acting, stardom and heroism eventually began to feel less important to him than they once had.

Govinda explained that he came to view his success through a spiritual lens. In his view, the opportunities and achievements he received were ultimately gifts from God, while actors were simply playing their respective roles in life.

This change in perspective made him look beyond the glamour associated with Bollywood. For Govinda, becoming a successful actor was no longer the only measure of achievement.

He said his biggest accomplishment was "that I could serve my family and my mother. I could fulfil all the wishes she had imagined for me, what she had thought my son Govinda would achieve when he turned 21. That was her dream. And I was able to fulfill it. I saw true heroism in that part of my life. That is a very different way of looking at things."


The actor described this as a different kind of heroism, one that was connected not to films or fame but to family, responsibility and keeping his mother’s dreams alive.

On the work front, Govinda is currently promoting his upcoming film, Roopa.