By Subhash K Jha

It couldn't get any better for Govinda. After a surprising comeback he's now on a weight-losing spree that's taken him from girth to ...well to relative thinness, for whatever it may be worth.

So is he trying to equal his pal Salman Khan's physique?

"Ha ! Me equal Salman? He is one of the ten handsomest men in the world. No. I just want to go back to the way I used to be during Raja Babu and Hero No.1."

"It started in Bangkok where I was shooting in Bangkok, and then God took care of some more weight in Mumbai. As soon as I landed in Mumbai I was down with a terrible viral fever. That brought down my weight even more.

In spite of all this I've been working like a madman to complete all my assignments before I leave for London for a very special project."

Govinda is all set to shoot for his first English-language film in London.

Jagmohan Mundhra's remake of the2005 Hollywood comedy The 40 Year Old Virgin.

"It's my first international project and very special, " says Govinda proudly.

What makes it doubly special is the fact that Govinda will have to speak the Queen's English in the film.

Not being comfortable in the British accent Mundhra has apparently decided to hire a inhouse language instructor on the sets to make sure Govinda's diction doesn't dither.

But Govinda isn't worried about the linguistic crossover. "British NRIs don't always speak perfect angrezi. A lot of them retain their desi accent and speak a mix of English and Hindi. That's what I'll do. The important thing is to be true to the character. And I think I can manage the English."