Ma Anand Sheela On Vinod Khanna's Struggle With Marriage, Alcoholism, 'I Think His Struggle Was...'

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.”

Sheela also revealed that while she never directly asked Vinod Khanna about his personal battles, she believes that marital issues might have played a significant role in his decision to walk away from fame and seek the spiritual path. In Ma Anand Sheela’s words:

“Marital problems are very prevalent in the world. They can make or break someone. I think that was his struggle from what I could understand… I never asked him if he found peace at the Ashram.”

What Vinod Khanna said about his spiritual retreat

Vinod Khanna spent five years in Osho’s commune before returning to his home in Mumbai. After returning, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt helped him revive his acting career with the 1990 film, Jurm. In an interview with Simi Garewal, the superstar himself admitted that he felt overwhelmed before heading for his spiritual retreat. He was quoted as saying:

“My mind was thinking too much. I was too hyper. My thoughts were all over the place. I was very angry. I’d reached a saturation point. People can press your buttons and make you react. Everything is not under your control. But I would see that when I meditate, these things weren’t affecting me at all. You have to become the master of your own mind, and these were the things that drove me to say that I’ve had enough, I’ve made enough money… Now, if I want to go deeper into meditation, I have to give my full time to it. I have to live in an ashram, I have to live at the feet of my guru. So, obviously, there was a need within me.”

Vinod Khanna passed away in 2017 at the age of 70 after a prolonged battle with bladder cancer. 

What do you think about Ma Anand Sheela’s revelations?

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