# Vinod Khanna's Shocking Spiritual Leap: From Bollywood Superstar to Osho's Gardener at Age 17 **Imagine ditching Bollywood's spotlight at its brightest for shoveling dirt in an Oregon ashram— that's the bold path Vinod Khanna chose.**[1] The legendary actor's spiritual odyssey, revealed by his wife Kavita Khanna, began remarkably early and reshaped his life forever.[1] Vinod Khanna, one of Indian cinema's greatest icons and posthumous Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner, wasn't just a silver-screen heartthrob—he was a profound spiritual seeker influenced by his family's background and Paramahansa Yogananda's *Autobiography of a Yogi*, which he discovered in college.[1] His journey deepened in 1975 when he became a disciple of Osho Rajneesh, adopting the name Swami Vinod Bharti.[1] At just 17, as shared by Kavita, he started tending Osho's gardens, embracing meditation and a simple life far from fame.[1] The pinnacle came in 1982: at the peak of his career, Khanna took a **five-year hiatus** from films to join Osho's Rajneeshpuram commune in Oregon, USA, where he lived as a devoted follower, practicing spirituality hands-on.[1] This wasn't a fleeting phase; he fully immersed himself, leaving behind blockbuster success for what he believed was his true calling.[1][2] Yet, disillusionment followed—he later reflected that "spirituality was meant for rich people who loved to indulge in things and phenomena that are absolutely impractical," prompting his return to Bollywood in 1987 with *Insaaf*.[1] Khanna's comeback was triumphant, evolving into beloved fatherly roles in hits like *Wanted* (2009), *Dabangg* (2010), and *Dabangg 2* (2012).[1] His story blends stardom, sacrifice, and self-discovery, showing even legends seek deeper meaning beyond the arc lights.[1][2]
Citations
1.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinod_Khanna
2.https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qcg_o8xx_Lw
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