Veteran actor Govinda, who is known for his jovial personality and honesty, has publicly apologised after his wife, Sunita Ahuja, made remarks about his long-time family priest during a podcast appearance. The senior actor took to video on November 4 to issue an apology for Sunita’s “disparaging comments” about Pandit Mukesh Shukla, whom he has been consulting for years.In his statement, Govinda said, “I have been consulting Pandit Mukesh Shukla for years and I respect him immensely. His father has also been our family’s pandit for years. My wife made disparaging remarks against Pandit Mukesh Shukla on the podcast, and I condemn them. My deepest apologies.”He further added that the Shukla family has stood by him through thick and thin. “Pandit Mukesh ji and his family have been with me in tough times, and I respect him a lot,” Govinda concluded.
Sunita Ahuja’s controversial comments
The controversy began when Sunita Ahuja appeared on Bigg Boss 13 fame Paras Chhabra’s podcast. During the chat, she spoke candidly about Govinda’s habit of consulting pandits. When Paras mentioned that not all pandits have the right intentions, Sunita replied, “We also have one in our house, Govinda’s pandit. He is also like this only — gets pujas done, charges Rs 2 lakhs. I tell him that you should pray on your own, unka karaaya hua puja paath kuch kaam nahi aane wala hai (the rituals they perform won’t help you).”
She further said, “God will accept the prayers that you do on your own. I don’t believe in all this. Even if I donate or do any good deed, I do it with my own hands for my karma. Darne wala darr jaata hai (the one who believes gets afraid).”Sunita didn’t stop there. She went on to criticise Govinda’s inner circle, saying, “The circle that he sits in has foolish writers who are less writers and more fools. They make him a fool and give terrible advice. He doesn’t get good people, and they don’t like me because I speak the truth.”Govinda and Sunita Ahuja, who tied the knot in 1987, have been one of Bollywood’s most talked-about couples. They share two children — son Yashvardhan and daughter Tina Ahuja. Despite facing frequent rumours about trouble in their marriage, the couple has consistently denied any reports of separation.
