Vinod Khanna, the veteran Bollywood legend and BJP MP breathed his last on the morning of 27th April 2017, after losing a long fight with cancer. The actor’s last on screen performance was in ‘Dilwale’, co-starring Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Varun Dhawan.
Born on October 6, 1946, Vinod Khanna made his debut in the film industry in 1968, with the release of Man Ka Meet. He was then seen in many hit films including Mere Apne, Mera Gaon MeraDesh, Gaddaar, Jail Yatra, Imitihaan, Inkaar, KuchheDhaage, Amar Akbar Anthony, Rajput, Qurbani, Kudrat, Dayavan, Kaarnama, Suryaa: An Awakening and Jurm.
He decided to quit the film industry temporarily in 1982, at the peak of his career to follow the footsteps of his spiritual leader Osho Rajneesh.
He returned to Bollywood after a 5-year break and gave blockbusters such as Insaaf and Satyameva Jayate.
His political career began with his entry into politics in 1997, when he was elected on a BJP Ticket from Gurdaspur on the then upcoming 1998 Lok Sabha Elections. He became the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 2002. He was later titled as the Minister for External Affairs.
He was elected again in 2014 from Gurdaspur after losing the 2009 elections.
Recently, a photo of the actor in which we looked frail and weak on a hospital bed went viral on the internet, shocking many in the Bollywood film fraternity. The rumour of his death started spreading and soon, it was deemed as a hoax by the family of the actor. He was admitted to the HN Reliance Foundation and Research Centre in Mumbai, where he passed away.
His priceless contribution in Indian Politics as well as the entertainment industry would always remain famed and marked forever in the hearts of this countless fans.
With a heavy heart, we express our condolences to this gem of an actor. Rest in peace, Vinod Khanna Ji.
