#theFridayFeature — Vinod Khanna
“Now I’m here. This is the only moment to live
and to live it to your best, totally. There is nothing
to aspire, nowhere to reach, nowhere to go, no goals.”
- Vinod Khanna
“You know Amey, I was going to share this on social media but…” Kapil’s sadness reflected in his eyes as he spoke about the man who during his teenage through his looks and an astonishing attitude had allured audiences from both sexes equally and enigmatically. “I used to practice his walk in front of the mirror,” Kapil continued, “he had this weird walk that was so intriguing that you just couldn’t take your eyes off. I remember in my college days I would walk every single day from the wall to the mirror trying to perfect it. He was probably the only male actor who was sexually appealing to me as well, and to most of the males. Women went crazy for him, but the men did too. And over time, I had managed an exact imitation of the film star’s vogue… But no one noticed (laughs).”
One fine morning, the news of Vinod Khanna’s demise had sparked this conversation between my mentor and me, post which, I began studying the controversial star who’s personal life had forever been in the limelight. What truly entangled me was his phase of life dwelling into which I accidently stumbled upon the teachings of a magnetic, magnificent and one of the most mysterious mystics. Had it not been for Vinod Khanna, I wouldn’t have found ‘Rajneesh’.
Vinod Khanna’s appeal lies not just in his uncommon looks but also in his unconventional perception towards life. A perspective which perhaps led him towards the heights of it all. He was a man who couldn’t get enough of neither the fame and the fortune nor the wine, wealth and women. In the ancient wisdom of Tantra lies a concept that may defy the usual convenient norms of our systematic society, but is quite interesting as a thought. It says, ‘to surpass something you have to surpass all boundaries related to it’. I believe the jist of Vinod Khanna’s life resides in this philosophy.
alone, you go alone.” — Vinod Khanna
The paramount pinnacle of success which a few witness, Vinod Khanna had been blessed enough to lead a life few get to. The experience of extended fame, fortune, wine, wealth and women perhaps made him question if his daily cycle was all that was there to life.
Similar to how a chronic alcoholic one fine day decides to stop, how a chainsmoker one day decides to quit; in the month of June (1978), Vinod Khanna, who was a big star then, at a press conference held in Natraj Studios announced early retirement from the glamorous world of Bollywood, leaving behind returned advances; seeking solace in the Bhagwan Rajneesh Ashram, popularized today as ‘Osho’.
“At that time it was a difficult choice to make. But when you surrender to a guru, you do what he tells you to do. I was completely trusting Bhagwan and never for a minute had a doubt that he was a real Sadhguru.”
- Vinod Khanna
What could have been the uncontrollable urge that led him to quit a world we all can only dream of?
Our generation today comes with a massive baggage of individual ideologies and beliefs. So much so, that we have lost the art of following not only people, but also dreams. Perhaps we are so conditioned to lead a safe, secured life that it becomes dangerously difficult for us to trust someone so profoundly. Vinod Khanna, even at the age that he was in, despite being a megastar followed his guru blindly — something that we as 22–23 year olds should learn.
Maybe, we are too scared of the unknown. Till we bulge, we cannot go beyond.
“Everybody laughed at me, they were aggressive… they couldn’t understand. My so called friends who thought they were helping me made a splash in the media saying that this man has gone crazy… He’s mad.”
- Vinod Khanna
Vinod Khanna had always been a wave forever swaying against the tide. Even as a child, he surprised his parents with his decision of joining the big bad world of Bollywood. Vinod Khanna has often said that his mother was always supportive towards him. The born rebel had a knack to fight for dreams that were closer to him than anything else — may that be getting out of college without completing commerce, not leaving for Germany to learn the family business, deciding to retire from the industry for a spiritual quest, staying afar from his family for seven long years or that of joining politics to serve the constituency of Gurdaspur. What a dynamic life!
“I was always a rebel. Someone who put everything aside to get to where he wanted to get. I’ve never done anything unless I felt total commitment towards it, that I could give my complete heart and soul.”
- Vinod Khanna
and spiritually. I think I would place him above any actor in
the industry.” — Gulzar Saab
Thank You Vinod Khanna for being an immense inspiration to me and millions of others. May your soul rest in peace.
“Leheron ke saath to koi
bhi tair leta hai,
Par asli insaan wo hai,
jo leheron ko cheer kar
aage badhta hai…”
- Ghulam, 1998
(“The crowd flows with the waves,
a true life is that which goes against.”)
Well, that’s all for today.
Keep reading, keep sharing and never stop believing!
“If death is uncertain then nothing’s certain.”
- Vinod Khanna
