'I want to make a name for myself'

Those who’ve grown up on a diet of Bollywood actor Govinda’s films can never forget his one-liners, mannerisms and ‘jhatkas’. It’s not a surprise that his daughter Tina Ahuja, has been influenced by her father.

“As a child, I would be taken to the shooting locations. Back then, I didn’t understand what my father’s work was like and why he was always surrounded by people all the time. But, as years passed, I realised what a remarkable person and actor he was. I’ve no qualms admitting that he has influenced me, both as a person and as an actor,” says Tina, who debuted in Bollywood with ‘Second Hand Husband’.

Ask Tina, if she’s always at the risk of being compared with her father? “Not much, that’s because I am a woman and not a man. But yes, people are fascinated with the fact that I am his daughter. However, I don’t want to dwell on my father’s goodwill and I want to make a name for myself,” she states.  

Tina says that she has picked up a lot of her father’s qualities. “As children, we were exposed to a lot of cinema, and most of our conversations would revolve around cinema,” she says. She adds that she would spend hours simply observing the way her father worked and interacted with people. “I hope to imbibe his dedication and passion towards work,” she narrates.

One of the best things that she likes about her father is his ability to stay calm, even in the most turbulent times. “I’ve never seen him get stressed or overreact to anything around him. I think, I’ve got that calmness from him,” she observes.

Tina never seemed to be in a hurry to rush into the film industry and be noticed. Why? “I never wanted to sign up for just about any role but wanted to wait until the right script came by. It’s been a long wait but has been worth it,” she adds. 

She is now listening to a few scripts and hopes to accept some of them. But, she hastens to add, that she’s treading carefully and wants to work only on those projects, that not only bring her recognition but also give her the opportunity to learn and grow as an actor.

Tina particularly admires the work of Ranveer Singh and wishes to work with him someday. “The only reason that I would like to work with him is because of his inexhaustible energy level,” she says.