When Govinda Was Accused Of Assault After Slapping A Fan On Movie Set | Throwback Tales

Govinda is one of the biggest names in Bollywood, who dominated the silver screen with his charm and unparalleled dancing style in the 90s and 2000s. The star is about to make a comeback onscreen with an untitled project. However, apart from work, he is often surrounded by controversies. One of the most controversial incidents in his career was when he slapped one of his fans, which led him to legal trouble for nearly a decade. He faced huge backlash for his action at that time. But do you know what actually happened?

When Govinda Slapped A Fan And Landed In Legal Trouble

Govinda’s fan following was as huge as any other top-rated actor in the industry. People flocked to movie sets and events to catch a glimpse of the icon. One such fan was Santosh Rai, a big admirer who visited the sets of the movie ‘Money Hai Toh Honey Hai’ to meet Govinda. This was in 2008, the fan sat patiently through the entire shoot, waiting for the star to complete his work. What was supposed to be a dream come true moment became a nightmare for him. Santosh was devastated when Govinda slapped him in front of the entire crew. It was an insult to him, who idolised the superstar for years. Later, Santosh made a statement about the incident with Rediff and said, “Imagine being hit by someone you considered god.”

However, Govinda shared a different story. The Hero No. 1 actor alleged that the fan misbehaved with the female dancers during the shoot. In an interview with The Times of India, Govinda said, “His name was Santosh. A lot of women told me not to do anything wrong with him further. They asked me to be respectful. I saw that nobody supported me; those who had been standing because of me were after me, trying to pull me down.”

Govinda’s Legal Battle After The Slap Incident

A nine-year legal battle was fought by the two parties from 2008 to 2019 as Santosh Rai filed an assault case against the superstar, demanding justice and compensation for the humiliation. The case reached the Supreme Court, where the judges showcased their disappointment about the remarks. As per Rediff, the Court said, “We enjoy your films, but we cannot tolerate you slapping somebody.”

As the case dragged on for years, Govinda’s legal team wanted to settle the matter with the fan outside the court. Reportedly, they even offered Rai Rs 5 Lakh in compensation. But the Court declared that Govinda would face prosecution if the victim does not agree to the apology. It further mentioned that the superstar could be in jail for two years under charges of criminal intimidation and assault.

The case dragged on till 2017 as Govinda finally issued a public apology to Santosh Rai with a conditional settlement and a financial settlement. Rai told Hindustan Times, “I only wanted justice, not the money.”

Also read: When Sonam Kapoor Stirred Controversy Over Calling 36-Year-Old Aishwarya Rai ‘Aunty From Another Generation’ | Throwback Tales

Why Govinda Said Slapping Case Was Lucky For Him

After the public apology, the case was solved. Years later, Govinda opened up about the incident and claimed it was ‘lucky’ for him. In a conversation with Mukesh Khanna’s YouTube channel in 2025, the star said, “The slapping case was so lucky for me. Somebody was misbehaving, and I slapped the person. The case went on for 9 years, and in the end, a friend of mine told me to do a sting operation on him and record whatever he was saying. The guy asked me for Rs 3 to 4 crores to take back the case. I recorded that conversation and sent it to court.”

Also read: Throwback Tales | When Aditya Narayan Was Kissed By A Female Fan On National TV Long Before Father Udit Narayan’s Kiss Controversy

Despite staying away from the silver screen for a while, Govinda has always managed to grab headlines, whether for his controversial past or his personal life. His slapping incident remained one of the most talked-about controversies of his career, which he handled very delicately in the 9 years of legal battle. In spite of being surrounded by constant scrutiny, he continued to win his fans’ hearts. Recently, the veteran actor was hospitalised after he fainted at his home due to weakness and disorientation. A day later, he was discharged from the hospital after full recovery.