Veteran actor, Vinod Khanna was a renowned face in Bollywood in the golden era. However, the Chandni actor shocked the industry when he left Bollywood in 1982 at the peak of his career. He detached himself from showbiz and travelled to Oregon, USA in the quest for spiritual entitlement by becoming a follower of Osho Rajneesh, residing at the Rajneeshpuram commune. In a recent interview, Osho’s former close aide, Ma Anand Sheela, revealed the real reason behind the superstar’s drastic decision at the peak of his success.
Ma Anand Sheela on why Vinod Khanna left Bollywood to join Osho
In a recent chat with Pinkvilla, Ma Anand Sheela opened up on the real reason that drove Vinod Khanna to seek Osho’s blessings. When he reached Rajneeshpuram, he was no longer a renowned star: For Sheela, he was just another sanyasi, and she was the bigger celebrity. Speaking further about the actor, Ma Anand Sheela shared that Khanna wasn’t just seeking spiritual enlightenment. Despite having everything, he was battling deep unhappiness and alcoholism, both of which stemmed from personal struggles back home. Sheela said:
“He had everything back home, but he wasn’t happy. On top of that, he consumed alcohol. It is a bad combination: Unhappiness and alcohol.”