Two of the most prominent figures in their respective fields, actor Vinod Khanna and director Mahesh Bhatt joined forces three times: in Lahu Ke Do Rang (1979), Jurm (1990) and Maarg (1992). And needless to say, all three films made a significant impact at the box office and on audiences.
A man of unusual choices, Khanna was at the peak of his film career and one of the highest-paid stars when he left his family and successful career behind to become a disciple of the spiritual guru Osho Rajneesh in 1975. But did you know that Bhatt played a role in Khanna’s journey to the Osho commune?
“We began our careers together in a way. Vinod played the villain in Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971) and I was the production manager on that film. What a stunning impact he made with his portrayal! And then we did Lahu Ke Do Rang which I directed. And then we were together at the Rajneesh ashram,” Mahesh Bhatt said during a chat with SpotboyE in 2017.
“Frankly, I was instrumental in a way for Vinod Khanna joining the Osho commune. He had seen me donning the saffron robe and expressed a desire to join Rajneesh. I came back in a little over 2 years, but he stayed on. In fact, he even followed Rajneesh to the US and aborted his successful film career. That really shocked everybody; he had almost touched his peak just around that time,” he added.
Film director Mahesh Bhatt with producer Avinash Kapoor and actors Vinod Khanna and Dilip Kumar at the muhurat of film Baadshah. (Express archive photo)
During the interview, Mahesh Bhatt also talked Vinod Khanna’s return to Bollywood after his stint with Osho. “Rajneesh ashram collapsed after some time and Rajneesh was handcuffed and jailed. The Osho show was over. Vinod returned but he couldn’t get the momentum he had in Bollywood. Things had changed in the industry. But we did a film together, Jurm,” he said.
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