In the 1970s, Bollywood megastar Vinod Khanna captivated fans with his charm and looks. After debuting in 1968 with ‘Man Ka Meet,’ he gained recognition through villainous roles in films like ‘Purab Aur Paschim’ and later solidified his stardom with hits like ‘Mere Apne’ and ‘Mera Gaon Mera Desh.’ At the peak of his career, Khanna shocked everyone by leaving the film industry to follow Osho, residing at the Rajneeshpuram commune in America. Akshaye Khanna later revealed that his father might never have returned if the commune hadn’t disbanded, highlighting a fascinating chapter in Bollywood history.
Reflecting on the time when his father, Vinod Khanna, chose to renounce worldly life to become a sanyasi, Akshaye Khanna shared that he was only four or five years old when his father left. He explained that it wasn’t until he was 15 or 16 that he began to grasp the significance of what had happened. At such a young age, Akshaye didn’t connect his father’s absence with Osho or understand the concept of renunciation, “One doesn’t look at it like that at five. Osho had nothing to do with my thoughts about why my dad wasn’t there. That came much later. As one grows, maybe 15 or 16, you start learning, listening or reading about the person who,” the actor shared.
He added, “To not only leave his family, but to take ‘sanyaas’ (renunciation). Sanyaas means giving up your life in totality — family is [only] a part of it. It’s a life-changing decision, which he felt that he needed to take at the time. As a five-year-old, it was impossible [for me] to understand it. I can understand it now.”
As he grew older, Akshaye began to comprehend the magnitude of his father’s decision. He acknowledged that taking sanyaas means relinquishing not just family, but one’s entire life. It was a life-altering choice that his father felt compelled to make at the time.
Akshaye further elaborated that, with maturity, he realized something profound must have stirred within his father to lead him to such a drastic step. He reflected on how, despite having everything one could want in life, his father must have felt that pursuing spiritual fulfillment was worth the sacrifice, “In the sense that something must have moved him so deeply inside that he felt that kind of decision was worth it for him. Especially, when you have everything in life. And when life doesn’t look as though there’s much more that you can have,” he recalled.
What is less known or discussed is the reason behind Vinod Khanna’s decision to return to India after his time with Osho. Akshaye Khanna clarified that his father’s return wasn’t due to a sudden change of heart. He explained, “A very basic fault-line/earthquake has to occur within oneself to make that decision. But also stick by it. One can make the decision and say this doesn’t suit me — let’s go back. But that didn’t happen. And circumstances in America with Osho and the colony, friction with the US government — that was the reason he came back.”
Akshaye revealed that it was the circumstances in America, particularly the friction between Osho’s commune and the U.S. government, that ultimately led to his father’s return. Addressing the belief that Vinod Khanna may have become disillusioned with Osho, Akshaye firmly dismissed this notion. “From whatever memories I have about my father talking about that time in his life, I don’t think that was a reason at all. It was just the fact that the commune was disbanded, destroyed, and everybody had to find their own way. That’s when he came back. Otherwise I don’t think he would’ve ever come back.”
Upon moving to the United States, Vinod Khanna spent five years immersing himself in a humble and transformative experience, taking on tasks like washing dishes, cleaning toilets, and serving as Osho’s gardener. These years were marked by a profound shift, as he embraced a life of simplicity and spiritual growth, far removed from the glamour of Bollywood.
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