Govind Namdev recently found himself at the centre of a controversy after a social media post by actress Shivangi Verma went viral. The incident, which began with a behind-the-scenes picture from the set of their upcoming film ‘Gaurishankar Goharganj Wale’, soon spiralled into a public misunderstanding involving accusations, assumptions, and an unexpected war of words.The post that started it allThe speculation started when Shivangi shared a picture from the film’s set on Instagram, captioning it with: “Pyaar (Love) knows no age, no limits.” With no additional context, the post led many followers to believe that the two actors—despite their significant age difference—were romantically involved in real life.Govind Namdev later spoke to ETimes, where he explained that it was all part of a promotional plan. “When the film was being prepared, we had a discussion with the director, producer, and Shivangi about planning a strong publicity strategy. I agreed that it was necessary,” he said.He also shared how Shivangi came up with the idea of showing them as a couple for publicity. “Shivangi insisted that we should have a romantic pairing, that the images needed to convey a certain chemistry. I agreed, but also asked what kind of content she had in mind,” he said. “She said, ‘There’s a lot. Content matters most.’ I thought, fine, let’s do it.”Things went wrongGovind said things took a turn when Shivangi posted pictures and videos without informing him. “That’s where the misunderstanding started. People began speculating about us, and frankly, I didn’t appreciate it. That’s why I stopped talking to her,” he said.Shivangi’s harsh post on InstagramIn response to Govind Namdev’s comments, Shivangi posted a strong message on Instagram in Hindi:“Sahi kaha hai kisi ne, buzurg badhti umr mein satiya jaate hain…G**** N*****.”* This roughly means: “It’s rightly said, old people lose their senses with age.” With the use of initials, it was clear she was referring to Govind, and the post sparked even more attention.Govind’s reply to Shivangi’s postNow, in a recent interview with Hindustan Times, Govind shared that he did not contact Shivangi after the incident. “I remove such people from my life. If I feel someone is harmful, I cut ties with them. I never spoke to her again,” he said.He added that he had spoken to the film’s director about what was happening. “After the film was completed, I never had any interaction with her. However, I did speak to the director about the situation and asked what was going on. The director also agreed that it had gone too far and said that my name was being dragged in the wrong way all over. Even the director felt that the only way to make things right was if Shivangi apologised to me.”‘A person behaves according to their upbringing’Reacting to Shivangi’s comment, Govind stayed calm and spoke with maturity. He said, “Aadmi ki jiss tarah ki parvarish hoti hai, jiss tarah ke sanskar hote hain voh ussi soch ka aadmi hota hai aur voh ussi hisaab se aapni life ko dekhta hai aur logon ke saath interact ya behave karta hai.” This means, “A person behaves according to their upbringing and the values they are raised with. Their mindset is shaped by these factors, and it reflects in how they view life and interact with others.”He added, “This entire situation is a reflection of that. Instead of apologising, the way she is handling things depends on her own judgment. I don’t pay much attention to such matters.”
