In the late 1960s, Rajesh Khanna was the first actor in the Indian film industry to be referred to as a "superstar." He enjoyed tremendous box office success, but by the mid-1970s, his series of hits began to fade.
During this period, two rising actors competed for his vacant spot at the top, with Amitabh Bachchan ultimately claiming it. Despite this, many believed that Vinod Khanna, seen as Bachchan's main rival, was an even greater actor.
Career:
Vinod Khanna started his Bollywood journey in 1968 at the age of 22, just before Amitabh Bachchan entered the industry. He got successful with the 1971 film Mera Gaon Mera Desh, where his portrayal of a villain captivated audiences and even overshadowed the well-known hero Dharmendra.
In the following years, Khanna delivered hits like Mere Apne, Achanak, and Imtihaan. At that time, he was often seen as a more prominent star than his peers, including Amitabh Bachchan, Jeetendra, and Rishi Kapoor.
Controversial kiss:
Vinod Khanna was busy shooting multiple films and often worked double shifts. One night, while filming a scene for Prem Dharm, he was supposed to kiss and hug Dimple Kapadia. After a delay, he arrived on set, and Mahesh Bhatt started filming. When Mahesh called for a cut, Vinod didn’t hear him and kept kissing and hugging Dimple, leaving her shocked. Mahesh and his team rushed in to stop him. They were both confused by his behaviour, and later, Mahesh made Vinod apologise to Dimple, saying he had lost control during the scene.
Quit acting:
In his 30s, Vinod Khanna developed a spiritual inclination. In 1982, at the height of his acting career, he surprised everyone by announcing his decision to quit acting and move to the U.S. He wanted to be closer to his spiritual guru, Osho Rajneesh. Khanna spent four years at Osho's ashram in Oregon, living as a hermit and renouncing material comforts. He returned to India in 1986 and resumed his film career. Although he never fully regained his previous stardom, he remained a prominent figure, even against the younger generation, including the three Khans. During this time, he starred in successful films like Dayavan, Chandni, and Jurm.
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