At the peak of his acting career in 1982, veteran actor Vinod Khanna made a surprising decision to leave Bollywood. He chose to join spiritual leader Osho’s commune, Rajneeshpuram, in Oregon, leaving his flourishing career and family behind in Mumbai to pursue meditation. At the time, Vinod was often compared to Amitabh Bachchan, who was emerging as a dominant figure in the film industry. Though many believe that Amitabh eventually surpassed Vinod to become Bollywood’s biggest star, senior journalist Bhawana Somaaya shed light on the situation in a recent interview.
In a conversation on a YouTube channel, Bhawana Somaaya clarified that Amitabh Bachchan had no role in Vinod Khanna’s decision to step away from films. She said, “Bachchan wasn’t responsible for Khanna’s career, was he? He alone couldn’t have done anything. Khanna was a very good-looking actor; talented, sensitive… Vinod Khanna got lost within himself. He chose to follow Rajneesh. He called a press conference and announced that he was quitting the industry.”
Bhawana also revealed that Amitabh, along with other actors like Shashi Kapoor, urged Khanna to reconsider his decision. “Amitabh Bachchan pleaded with him not to go ahead with his decision. Shashi Kapoor also told him to reconsider. Every actor and director told him not to leave, that it would be the wrong thing to do. But he was sure he wanted to leave the industry, and he left,” Bhawana added.
Vinod Khanna stayed with Osho’s commune for a long time, immersing himself in the spiritual life. However, after the commune was disbanded, Khanna returned to Mumbai. Director Mahesh Bhatt helped him restart his acting career with the film Jurm, marking his comeback. Bhawana Somaaya emphasized that Khanna’s career, post his return, was “fine” in her opinion, demonstrating his resilience and ability to bounce back after such a long hiatus.
