Vinod Khanna, once one of the brightest stars in Bollywood during the 1970s and early ‘80s, shocked the film industry and his fans when he gave it all up at the peak of his career. He walked away from the spotlight, fame, and adoring crowds to join Osho’s spiritual commune in the United States, choosing a life of silence, meditation, and simplicity.
While many saw it as a noble retreat from worldly life, Swami Shailendra Saraswati, brother of the late spiritual guru Osho, recently shared a more personal and complex side of the story in an interview with Hindi Rush. Speaking about the time he lived alongside Khanna at Rajneeshpuram in Oregon, Saraswati described the emotional turmoil the actor faced during those years.
“These people are sapno ke saudagar,” Saraswati said, reflecting on actors like Khanna who appear perfect on screen but often carry inner chaos. Despite his dedication to the spiritual path, Khanna frequently spoke about how much he missed his wife Geetanjali and their sons, Akshaye and Rahul. His decision to leave it all behind wasn’t easy, especially with a young family still in India.
At the commune, Khanna embraced a humble life, even working as a gardener at Osho’s residence. Yet, Osho sensed that something deeper was troubling him. When those around him said Khanna was sad because he missed his family, Osho disagreed. According to Saraswati, Osho said, “No, he’s not missing his family. Tell him to go back to India and fight an election against Amitabh Bachchan.”
This suggestion surprised everyone, including Khanna himself. Saraswati explained that Osho had a unique ability to see what others couldn’t. He believed that beneath Khanna’s longing was a different kind of pain. In his absence from films, Amitabh Bachchan had risen to become the top star in Bollywood. According to Osho, Khanna wasn’t just missing his family—he was grieving the loss of his place at the top.
Saraswati said that while Vinod Khanna’s conscious mind tried to tell him he was a devoted father and husband, Osho revealed a deeper truth. “Vinod’s conscious mind was trying to convince him he was a noble man who missed his family. But Osho said what he really missed was his position, his place at the top. He was envious of Bachchan, and that pain was manifesting in other ways.”
Khanna’s spiritual journey, once thought to be a story of detachment and peace, was also one of internal conflict, identity, and the silent burden of having once been number one.
