Veteran actor Vinod Khanna passed away at the age of 70, earlier on Thursday. The actor was suffering from cancer. The news of his deteriorating health had spread when a picture of the frail actor in a hospital, went viral on internet.
With the death of a marvellous actor, Bollywood suffers a massive loss. On his demise, let us recount the moments from the life of this amazing actor and the journey that brought him here.
- Vinod Khanna was born in Peshawar on 6th October, 1946. After the partition, he along with his family moved to Mumbai.
- During his time at boarding school in Deolali, he watched the Bollywood hit Solva Saal and Mughal-e-Azam and he developed a passion for motion pictures.
- He graduated with a commerce degree from Sydenham College in Mumbai.
- He made his first appearance in Bollywood with Sunil Dutt’s Mann Ka Meet as a negative character. During the initial phase of his Bollywood career, he played side roles in films like Purab Aur Paschim, Sachaa Jhutha, Aan Milo Sajna, Mastana, Mera Gaon Mera Desh and Elaan.
- It was only 1971 that Khanna got his first break as the lead hero in film Hum Tum Aur Who opposite Bharati Vishnuvardhan.
- In the period 1974-82 Vinod Khanna was paid even more than Jeetendra in the film Insaan and more than Amitabh Bachchan in 4 films like Parvarish, Hera Pheri, Khoon Pasina, Amar Akbar Anthony.
- 1975 became the turning point of his career as well his life when he decided to quit the film industry to become a follower of the spiritual teacher Osho (Rajneesh). He vanished from the industry for five years. He moved to Rajneeshpuram in United States to work as Osho’s gardener.
- Vinod Khanna received Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999 for his contribution to Indian cinema for over three decades.
- Khanna also tried his hands in small screen industry with Smriti Irani’s serial Mere Apne in 2014.
- In 1997, Vinod Khanna joined Bharatiya Janata Party and was even elected from Gurdaspur constituency in Punjab in the poll.
- He became Union Minister for culture and tourism in July 2002 and within six months, he moved to Ministry of External Affairs as Minister of State.
- In 1971, he tied his nuptials with Geetanjali and had two sons with her, Rahul Khanna and Akshaye Khanna. His devotion to OSHO and disappearance from the country became the reason his marriage ended in divorce.
- In 1990, he married Kavita and had a son Sakshi and daughter Shraddha with her.
- On April 2, 2017, he was admitted to hospital after suffering from severe dehydration. After being on the bed for few weeks, Khanna breathed his last this morning.
