The Tan Badan Mystery

So I’ve become a little bit obsessed with Govinda’s first film, Tan Badan.

  Tiny image due to the DEARTH of anything Tan Badan-related on the net. Seriously guys. 
Feel my pain. 

Once upon a time, this film existed in actual hard copy form. There are people out there in the world who actually OWN this film on VCD (because I’m pretty sure based on WAY TOO MUCH TIME trawling the internet that the DVD version doesn’t exist). I ENVY THOSE PEOPLE.



But do a simple internet search for Tan Badan and all you will get, my friends, is sucked in to a mystery that throws out more questions than there are answers for. 

YOU CANNOT OBTAIN THIS FILM ANYWHERE, AND IT APPEARS THAT IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.  Now I want it, even if it turns out to be crap (and any film in which a youthful, slim-hipped Govinda appears in A: sprayed on silver pants and B: his chuddis is not capable of being crap. THERE IS FILM EVIDENCE BELOW), just because I’m contrary and Mysterious Forces seem to not want me to have it.


Seriously? It’s a bit weird, given the OTHER two films he released in 1986: Ilzaam and Love 86 are so widely available, I’m surprised I don’t own multiple copies of them already. (This is not hyperbole. I will end up with multiples, just you wait).

WHAT’S THE DEAL, WHOEVER IS IN CHARGE OF THIS STUFF?

If Tan Badan was Govinda’s first film, what was so wrong with it that it has seemingly been buried without a trace?  
(And really, what COULD be that wrong with it compared to THE HORROR of Money Hai Toh Honey Hai? Don’t watch it, not even for Chi Chi).

WHAT EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND IN SOME CASES PURE SPECULATION HAS TAUGHT ME ABOUT TAN BADAN:

It was Govinda’s first leading role in a film, and was directed and produced by his uncle (apparently – do you trust THE INTERNET?), Anand.

I found a plot summary! From here:

Set in middle-class India, Ravi is the son of a millionaire factory owner, Diwan Devendra Pratap who, after becoming crippled has had to depend on a manager and good friend to run his businesses. He now wants his son to take over but Ravi is more interested in women, gambling and drink, and is uninterested in the business or the arranged marriage his father has organised.

But then I found this (way better one)  here : (seriously click that link! That page has a TONNE of screenshots too. It’s like Tan Badan obsessive’s HEAVEN!)

Gauri (Khushboo) is a young and naive village girl who witnesses a girl – Seema – die in childbirth.  Ravi (Govinda) lives in the city with his father.  Ravi is in love with Radha, but does not realize she is having an affair with a criminal named Junga (Sharat Saxena).  When Ravi’s father is murdered by Junga, it is mistaken as an accident and the will is read.  Ravi is to inherit his father’s property with the stipulation that Ravi must marry Gauri.  Terrified that she will die if she becomes pregnant, Gauri resists her new husband Ravi.  As Ravi becomes suspicious of Radha, Gauri becomes a victim of Junga. 

DOES THAT NOT SOUND AWESOME?!       

From my canny detective work:  looking at the imdb page and the only available videos (from a Russian site Govinda Fan No.1, Katherine from Totally Filmi, gave me the heads up about), I’m guessing Ravi (Govinda):

*runs off with a bunch of his father’s money and his new wife and basically behaves like a brat for a while, trying to…seduce her? 


*severely rocks the SILVER PANTS OF AWESOME

*falls madly in pyaar. There’s definitely a honeymoon and a hotel involved. I’m guessing it’s the classic “Boy and girl are forced into marriage and don’t immediately gel, but are actually COSMICALLY DESTINED for one another and end up madly in love” schtick. Which is actually one of my favourite, favourite storylines. SO IT KILLS ME NOT TO OWN THIS. 


*ultimately learns a valuable lesson about growing up and taking responsibility and family values, Bollywood ishtyle (just wildly presuming, if plot summary one and two are in any way linked).

Extra random fact I found: Apparently Sunita (Chi Chi’s real life wife) fell in love with him at the muhurat of Tan Badan.  

And here, sadly, the trail ends. 

THE ONLY EVIDENCE THAT EXISTS OF TAN BADAN’S AWESOME EXISTENCE:

http://img.mail.ru/r/video2/player_v2.swf?movieSrc=mail/kismata/Govi/3692

Tan Badan (1986) “Krishna Krish”(or “Meri Nahin Bansi Ke Dhun” depending on where you look)
IN WHICH GOVINDA SEVERELY ROCKS THE SILVER PANTS OF AWESOME. 

http://img.mail.ru/r/video2/player_v2.swf?movieSrc=mail/kismata/Govi/3693

Tan Badan (1986) “Main Bhi Jawa”
IN WHICH GOVINDA IS GENERALLY DREAMY. SWOON. 

http://img.mail.ru/r/video2/player_v2.swf?movieSrc=mail/kismata/Govi/83

Tan Badan (1986) “O Saathiya”
IN WHICH WE LEARN CHICHI IN HIS CHUDDIS IS A PHENOMENON THAT BEGAN FROM FILM NUMBER ONE.
AND WE GIVE APPROPRIATE THANKS FOR THAT, AND HIS SHIRTLESS ROMPING.