Pahlaj Nihalani reacts to Govinda's claim that he was offered James Cameron's Avatar: 'Wo Avatar meri picture thi'

For years, Govinda has been claiming that he was offered James Cameron's Avatar. Earlier this year in March, he again reiterated that he was offered Rs 18 crore by Oscar-winning filmmaker James Cameron to act in the 2009 sci-fi blockbuster Avatar. Speaking on a podcast with actor Mukesh Khanna, Govinda even went on to claim that it was he who suggested the title Avatar to Cameron.Now, producer Pahlaj Nihalani, who introduced Govinda in the 1986 film Ilzaam, has reacted to the claim.Speaking to Pinkvilla, Nihalani said, "Wo Avatar meri picture thi. Maine Rangeela Raja se pehle shuru ki thi. Pata nahi usko baad mein dhyaan aaya ki ye picture baad mein shoot karte hai. Baaki 6 din banayi thi maine. Aur pehle apan dusri shuru karte hai. Ye picture ke remake rights diye maine... Ab pata nahi wo kyu bolta hai kya bolta hai usko sach much aaya ke nahi aaya, lekin Avatar meri picture thi. Aaj bhi mere paas title registered hai. Pata nahi ab banaunga ke nahi banaunga." (That Avatar was actually my film. I had started it before Rangeela Raja. I don’t know if later on he remembered that the film could be made differently. I had already shot six days of it but then moved on to another project. I even gave the remake rights for it… I don’t know why he says such things, or whether he actually experienced it or not, but Avatar was my film. Even today, I still have the title registered in my name. I don’t know if I will make it or not.)While speaking to Mukesh Khanna, Govinda shared details about his interaction with James Cameron and why he eventually turned down the film.The Hero No. 1 star revealed that his Hollywood connection began when he met a Sikh businessman in the US. "I had met a Sardarji in America and gave him a business idea that worked; some years later, he made me meet James Cameron. He asked me to do a film with James, so I invited them for dinner to discuss it," Govinda recalled.Govinda also made a surprising claim, stating that he was the one who suggested the title Avatar to Cameron. "I suggested the film’s title Avatar. James told me the hero in the film was handicapped, so I said I am not doing the film."He further added, "He offered me Rs 18 crore for it and said I would be required to shoot for 410 days. I said that is okay, but if I paint my body, I will be in the hospital."The Bollywood star stressed how crucial an actor’s physical health is to their craft. "Our body is the only instrument we have. At times, some things appear very appealing professionally, but you also have to consider their effects on your body. Sometimes, you have to keep apologising to people for years for saying no to a film; even if they are close, they have very strong egos," Govinda explained.