Actor Govinda opened up about the sacrifices his late mother, Nirmala Devi, made for her family, recalling how she left her acting career behind to become a spiritual ascetic. In a recent interview, the actor revealed that a remark from his father Arun Kumar Ahuja played a role in her decision to give up films.
Nirmala Devi began her career as a leading actor in Hindi cinema but stepped away from the industry after less than a decade. She later shaved her head and became a sadhvi while raising her five children.
Govinda recalls mother's sacrifice for family
Remembering the difficult period his family went through, Govinda said his mother faced financial struggles despite having worked as a film heroine. He recalled that the family's circumstances became so difficult that their belongings were taken away from their bungalow.
“After becoming a heroine, my mother Nirmala Devi got poor to such an extent that all the stuff from our bungalow were taken away,” recalled Govinda in a recent interview with ABP LIVE.
“My father told her, ‘Nirmala, you’re so pretty that when you go out to ask for work, people would ogle at you.’ So my poor mother got her shaved off and became a saint. She said, ‘Let my children grow up,'” he added.
According to Govinda, his mother chose to devote herself to her children, putting her own professional ambitions aside.
Govinda believes his upbringing has helped him develop a sense of detachment, particularly when it comes to public opinion and criticism. He spoke about this while addressing allegations made by his wife, Sunita Ahuja, regarding an alleged relationship with a much younger co-star, Komal Rani, from his upcoming home production Roopa.
“Being the son of such a mother, I don’t care about who’s saying what about me. I’m not even looking in that direction,” he said.
Govinda's mother did not want him to become an actor
Interestingly, Nirmala Devi was initially reluctant to see her youngest son enter the film industry. Govinda recalled that when he expressed his desire to become an actor, his mother felt he was too innocent for the demands of the entertainment world. His father, however, believed in his potential.
A look at Nirmala Devi's film career
Nirmala Devi made her acting debut in 1942 as the leading lady in VC Desai's Savera. She went on to appear in several films, including SU Sunny's Geet, Rama Chowdhary's Gaali (1944), Nanabhai Bhatt's Chalis Karod (1946) and M Sadiq's Anmol Ratan (1950).
In 1942, she eloped with her Savera co-star Arun Kumar Ahuja. The couple later reunited on screen for his home production Sehra in 1948, but the film failed at the box office.
Nirmala Devi eventually left the film industry after Jai Mahalkashmi, released in 1951.
