Govinda was the first choice for Salman Khan starrer ‘Biwi No 1’; actor refused to work with Sushmita Sen |

As David Dhawan‘s ‘Biwi No 1‘ celebrates its 25th anniversary today, we explore how none of the cast members, from Salman Khan to Karisma Kapoor, Anil Kapoor to Tabu, were the initial choices for their roles. Nonetheless, they all excelled in their performances, contributing to the film’s superhit status.
Dhawan, famed for his slapstick comedies and collaboration with Govinda in a string of ‘number 1’ films like Coolie No.1, Hero No. 1, Aunty No. 1, Anari No. 1, and Jodi No. 1, initially envisioned Govinda for the role of Prem, the unfaithful husband, in Biwi No. 1. The film is a remake of the 1995 Tamil movie Sathi Leelavathi, itself inspired by the Hollywood film She-Devil.

According to an old report in DNA, the character of the ‘unfaithful’ husband in Biwi No. 1 was tailored with Govinda in mind, given his successful pairing with Karisma Kapoor. However, Govinda objected to working alongside Sushmita Sen. Despite his insistence, the filmmakers stood firm on retaining Sen. Consequently, Govinda returned his signing amount to producer Vashu Bhagnani, citing his reluctance to portray a character akin to his previous roles where he cheated on multiple women.

Sushmita Sen shared an amusing anecdote about filming a song in an interview with Mashable. Despite being taller than Salman Khan, he insisted she keep her heels on. Sen recalled director David Dhawan urging her to remove them, but Khan humorously encouraged her to wear them, quipping, “I’ll manage my height, you manage yours.”

Sushmita Sen recently disclosed to Indianexpress.com the most requested line by fans, which amusingly comes from Biwi No. 1. She chuckled as she shared the backstory of how her spontaneous words, ‘Haye mera bachcha,’ became part of her character’s dialogue. Sen revealed it was unscripted and improvised during a scene with Salman Khan, and director David Dhawan decided to keep it. Sen excelled in her portrayal of an ambitious woman seeking more from life in the film.

Packed with humour, ‘Biwi No 1’ features a blend of situational comedy and witty dialogues. David Dhawan’s direction ensures impeccable comedic timing, eliciting laughter from the audience throughout the film. Despite its slightly controversial theme, the stellar cast, though not the original choice, elevates Biwi No. 1 to achieve its intended success.