“Last year was excellent for me. Partner was the highest point of my life in 2007,” says the hero. Post the astounding success of David Dhawan-directed Partner that also featured Salman Khan, Govinda now gears up for a busy 2008, shooting for the sequel Partner 2, Ravi Chopra’s Banda Hai Bindaas Hai and Ganesh Acharya’s multi-starrer Money Hai To Honey Hai.

“My near and dear ones had to suffer a lot because of my decision to join politics. I'm glad the bad patch of my life has come to an end. Now on I want to concentrate only on films,” he says.

While movie buffs will see more of Govinda on the big screen this year, his daughter Narmada’s foray in films too is in the pipeline—after the latter had expressed her interest to join films, her proud father had even wanted her to assist Rakesh Roshan, prior to facing the camera. “Before Narmada works in the film industry, I will send her for a one-year mass communication course in a university abroad,” says Govinda. “She is already getting acting offers but I want her to understand the medium first and do only good films. When I started off I had to struggle a lot, thankfully she will be spared of that.”

Govinda’s comeback in movies with 2006’s Priyadarshan-directed Bhagam Bhag was not an instant hit; the next film, Nikhil Advani's multi-starrer Salaam-E-Ishq that released early last year too ended up doing poor business. However, Govinda’s performance was lapped up by critics and audience alike, despite the films’ lacklustre showing. “These movies didn’t mean much to me but I took them up because I was desperate to act,” he says.