Vinod Khanna's First Wife, Akshaye&Rahul Khanna's Mother Geetanjali, Dies At 70
Vinod Khanna's First Wife, Akshaye And Rahul Khanna's Mother Geetanjali, Dies At 70
Geetanjali and her actor son Akshaye Khanna were visiting the farmhouse located at Mandva over the weekend
An old photo of Geetanjali Khanna shared by Rahul (courtesy mrkhanna)
Childhood pictures of Rahul and Akshay
photos of them both c. 1980!
Mumbai:
Late Bollywood actor Vinod Khanna's first wife Geetanjali died at the family's farmhouse in Maharashtra's Raigad district, police said Sunday. She was 70. Geetanjali and her actor son Akshaye Khanna were visiting the farmhouse located at Mandva over the weekend.
She complained of uneasiness at the farmhouse on Saturday evening following which she was taken to a hospital in Chondi village, Mandva police station in-charge, assistant police inspector Meghna Burande said.
After treatment at the hospital, Geetanjali and her son returned to the farmhouse where the actor took her to the bedroom and asked her to take rest, she said.
Akshaye Khanna later went out of the farmhouse for some time. When he returned, he enquired with a care-taker about his mother and then went to her bedroom where he found her unconscious, the official said. He then called doctors again at the local hospital and also his brother-actor Rahul Khanna in Mumbai.
On doctor's advice, he took his mother to the Alibaug-based civil hospital where she was declared dead, Burande said.
After the post mortem at the civil hospital on Sunday morning, the body was handed over to the family, she said.
"It appeared to be a natural death, but doctors have preserved the viscera to ascertain the exact cause of demise," the official said.
"We recorded Rahul Khanna's statement and have no tfound anything suspicious," she said, adding that the last rites of the deceased were performed by the family members at Alibaug on Sunday afternoon.
Vinod Khanna, who had served a BJP MP, died in April last year at the age of 70. He had divorced Geetanjali in 1985. In 1990, he got married again to Kavita, with whom, he had a son, Sakshi, and a daughter, Shraddha.
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Vinod Khanna Marriage: The Sexy Sanyasi’s Tumultuous Love Life
When Vinod Khanna made his debut in 1968 in Sunil Dutt’s film Man Ka Meet,
his on-screen persona and charisma won him a lot of admirers. His
extremely good looks became food for fantasy for many, and that included
even film producers who thronged his doorstep with film offers. Within a
year of his first film release, Khanna had 15 films in his kitty, and
had soon become a reckoning actor. Back in the day, he was often
labelled as the sexiest male actor Bollywood has ever seen, and was even
given the moniker of sexy sanyasi when he decided to take a
hiatus from acting. Sadly, his decision became the root cause for ending
Vinod Khanna’s marriage with his wife Geetanjali but Khanna found love
the second time when he met Kavita, his second wife, in 1990. We take a
closer look at this handsome actor’s love life, ups and downs, and
everything that lies in between.
Vinod Khanna was born on 6th October 1946 in Peshawar, which was then part of undivided India. Khanna was born in a family which specialised in textiles and dyes business. After the partition, the family shifted base to Mumbai but later moved to New Delhi. This is where Khanna had all his education, but he eventually moved to Mumbai for his graduation, which is where he joined the theatre department and developed interest towards acting. It was one day that he happened to have a chance encounter with actor Sunil Dutt at a party who offered him a role in one of his upcoming film. Vinod Khanna played the villain in his debut film Man Ka Meet in the year 1968, and went on to enact different roles in his career that spanned more than four decades.
Growing up, Khanna had a keen interest in studying science, but since he came from a business family his father forced him to join the commerce stream. It was during his graduation years that Khanna developed an interest towards acting, and became part of his college theatre troupe. Being the heartthrob, which he always was, he used to have many girlfriends. But one fine day everything changed when he happened to meet Geetanjali Taleyarkhan. She was from his college and she was keen on becoming a model after graduation (which she eventually did). There was something about this girl that made Khanna fall head over heels for her. They dated each other for a long time but Khanna kept postponing the wedlock till a point when he made it big in the film world. That moment joyously came in the year 1971, two years after his film debut, Vinod Khanna’s marriage to his long-time girlfriend Geetanjali finally took place in Mumbai. The couple were eventually blessed with two sons, Rahul Khanna (b. 1972) and Akshaye Khanna (b. 1975). Vinod Khanna was a full-fledged family man and in those days was the only actor apart from Shashi Kapoor who would not work on Sundays. The couple had everything what an ideal married couple would wish for but things took an abrupt turn when Khanna started seeking solace at Osho’s ashram.
Vinod Khanna – The Peshawari Boy
Vinod Khanna was born on 6th October 1946 in Peshawar, which was then part of undivided India. Khanna was born in a family which specialised in textiles and dyes business. After the partition, the family shifted base to Mumbai but later moved to New Delhi. This is where Khanna had all his education, but he eventually moved to Mumbai for his graduation, which is where he joined the theatre department and developed interest towards acting. It was one day that he happened to have a chance encounter with actor Sunil Dutt at a party who offered him a role in one of his upcoming film. Vinod Khanna played the villain in his debut film Man Ka Meet in the year 1968, and went on to enact different roles in his career that spanned more than four decades.
Vinod Khanna’s Marriage : The College Sweetheart
Growing up, Khanna had a keen interest in studying science, but since he came from a business family his father forced him to join the commerce stream. It was during his graduation years that Khanna developed an interest towards acting, and became part of his college theatre troupe. Being the heartthrob, which he always was, he used to have many girlfriends. But one fine day everything changed when he happened to meet Geetanjali Taleyarkhan. She was from his college and she was keen on becoming a model after graduation (which she eventually did). There was something about this girl that made Khanna fall head over heels for her. They dated each other for a long time but Khanna kept postponing the wedlock till a point when he made it big in the film world. That moment joyously came in the year 1971, two years after his film debut, Vinod Khanna’s marriage to his long-time girlfriend Geetanjali finally took place in Mumbai. The couple were eventually blessed with two sons, Rahul Khanna (b. 1972) and Akshaye Khanna (b. 1975). Vinod Khanna was a full-fledged family man and in those days was the only actor apart from Shashi Kapoor who would not work on Sundays. The couple had everything what an ideal married couple would wish for but things took an abrupt turn when Khanna started seeking solace at Osho’s ashram.
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The Change In Life
In an interview in 2002, Khanna opened up about his mental turmoil during the early 1970s. He shared that he had everything – money, fame and all the worldly comforts, but he was seeking something beyond that, something more transcendent. It was this thirst for self-understanding and otherworldliness that led him to the ashram of Osho, a spiritual guru. Khanna was officially inducted into his ashram in December 1975, and by 1982 he was asked to take the various responsibilities at Osho’s Rajneeshpuram ashram in the US. Vinod announced his retirement from films in 1982 when he was still a popular actor. His decision shocked the film industry as well as his family members but nothing could stop him from quenching his thirst for spirituality.When Vinod Khanna’s Marriage Came Crashing Down
Vinod Khanna with Wild Wild Country's ...
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Vinod’s sons were still young, and while he would stay in touch with his wife Geetanjali over the phone, she would often plead with him to return back. It is said that his sons Rahul and Akshaye often had to face the ridicule of people around because of the fact that Vinod had abandoned his family. While the reports of his ‘irresponsibility’ and ‘selfishness’ did not bother Vinod, it definitely took a toll on his relationship with his wife. Eventually, by mid-1980s Geetanjali filed for divorce from Vinod, and the couple officially dissolved their marriage. When Vinod finally returned back to India in 1987, he had nothing and no one in his life. He went back to his friends in the film industry, who gladly accepted him back once again. Little did he know that three years down the line he would find love the second time.
The Brief Fling
Vinod Khanna made his return to films in 1987, and in the year 1990 he signed a film with Amrita Singh (Saif Ali Khan’s first wife). It is said Amrita had a long time crush on Vinod Khanna and was besotted by his looks right at the moment she saw him on the sets. She was dating cricketer Ravi Shastri at that time and it is said that she jokingly mentioned that she would soon be dating Vinod Khanna. Ravi surprisingly scoffed at her statement by remarking that she could never get Vinod Khanna even if she tried. Amrita took those words seriously though and eventually made it a point to woo Vinod no matter what. She would try to flirt around with Vinod during the making of their film. Despite all her efforts, Vinod barely noticed the pretty lady. But after a while, Vinod started reciprocating the same feelings but this time they faced stiff resistance from none other than Amrita’s mother Rukhsana Sultan. Since Vinod was not exactly serious about the relationship, and was just basking in the attention he was receiving, he spared little time to breakup with Amrita who soon found solace in Saif Ali Khan’s arms (that’s a different story).
Vinod Khanna’s Marriage : The Second
It was on Vinod Khanna’s 43rd birthday in the year 1989 when he was introduced to a 30 year old woman named Kavita Daftary, who was the daughter of industrialist Sarayu Daftary. Kavita was a shy yet ardent admirer of Vinod Khanna, and while Vinod was charmed by her looks, Kavita did not think the same way about Vinod. She just saw him as yet another pompous film star obsessed with his good looks and wealth. It took Vinod several efforts and phone calls to break the ice, and he eventually managed to convince her to go with him on a long drive. That trip thawed the cold perceptions in Kavita’s heart and she realised that there was something more about Vinod than what she assumed. That marked the beginning of a new chapter in Vinod’s life, and Vinod Khanna’s marriage to to Kavita Daftary in May 1990. The couple were blessed with a son (Sakshi) and a daughter (Shraddha) from their marriage.
Moving On…
Vinod Khanna’s marriage to Kavita was a redemption for Khanna since it gave him a chance of returning back to the normalcy of a family life. Today, he is one of the few actors from his era who is active in the showbiz. Now that is called being a true superstar! We wish Khanna all the best with his life and all other pursuits.
Remembering Vinod Khanna: The actor who taught that love doesn’t always mean ending up together
In those days when Bollywood heroes were painting a dreamy picture of love and romance, it was Vinod Khanna who was instrumental in making cinephiles look at love in a whole new light. It was him who moved the audience away from the typical 'boy meets girl' romance.
The conventional actor blessed with good looks was the one who made cine lovers fall in love even with an anti-hero, such was the charisma of this stalwart whenever he appeared on the 70mm screen. But soon the actor graduated from being just an antagonist to a hero. His diverse filmography holds proof of his acting chops and many will still agree, if he would not have taken a sabbatical from Bollywood, he would have posed a threat to the stardom of Amitabh Bachchan.
In those days when Bollywood heroes were painting a dreamy picture of love and romance, it was Vinod Khanna who was instrumental in making cinephiles look at love in a whole new light. It was him who moved the audience away from the typical ‘boy meets girl’ romance and redefined love as a feeling which does not necessarily mean being together forever. The shade of love he depicted in some of his movies was not about everything blissful and beautiful. Contrary to the popular belief, the Qurbani actor portrayed love which was synonymous to sacrifice.
1. Chandni
2. Qurbani
3. Muqaddar Ka Sikandar
In this 1978 hit film Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Khanna played the second hero but still, he managed to hold his own in the movie. Playing a loyal friend to Amitabh Bachchan in this drama of love and sacrifice, Khanna once again was ready to give up on his love but this time destiny held something else for his character. Khanna in the role of a lawyer Vishal pens down love letters on Sikandar’s behalf to Kaamna (Raakhee). Oblivious to the reality, Kaamna falls in love with Vishal and unaware about Kaamna being his friend Sikandar’s love interest, Vishal too reciprocates her feelings. But on discovering the truth, Vishal decides to sacrifice his love for his friendship. However, the twist comes in when Sikandar (Amitabh Bachchan) dies and Vishal and Kaamna becomes man and wife in the climax of the movie.
4. Kudrat
In the 1981 film, Kudrat starring Vinod Khanna, Hema Malini and Rajesh Khanna, the character of Khanna decides to go away from the life of his fiance played by Malini and her lover Rajesh Khanna after he learns about their love story.
Hearthrob And A 'Sanyasi', Turbulent Story Of Vinod Khanna's Two Marriages
Tryst with stardom and love
Vinod Khanna belonged to a business class family which moved from Peshawar to Mumbai after partition. Khanna had a keen interest in science but his father insisted that he pursues commerce. He joined his college’s theatre group where he met his future wife, Geetanjali Taleyarkhan. The young lady wanted to become a model. Vinod was charmed by her personality and the soon began to date each other. It was at the same time was Khanna was spotted by Sunil Dutt who offered him a film, Man Ka Meet. Vinod made his big debut in 1968 with this movie and became the next big thing of Bollywood. Just after his debut, he had 15 more film contracts lined up for him.
Once Khanna felt settled in his career, he decided to focus on his love life. He had been avoiding the topic of marriage for a long time before finally making up his mind. Two years into the film industry and Khanna realised that it’s about time to settle down. In 1971, Geetanjali and Vinod got hitched and their wedding was attended by all the famous people of the film industry.
The family man
Vinod Khanna was seen as the perfect man who had no problem in managing a demanding career and a family. Geetanjali and Vinod were blessed with a son, Rahul Khanna, in 1972 and another one, Akshay Khanna, in 1975. The father had a policy of not working on Sundays as he wanted to spend time with his wife and kids. Despite having a huge female fan following, he remained loyal to his wife and kids.
The Spiritual change
Khanna family’s life changed for the worst when Vinod turned to Osho’s ashram in the search of solace. This spiritual change cost the family everything. In 2002, Vinod shared how despite having wealth and fame, he always felt uneasy. He was searching for something unworldly which led him to the ashram of Osho. Soon, the star got so spiritually involved with the cult that he gave up on his career and moved to the USA to look after the ashram’s work. He would connect with his family over the phone but that wasn’t enough.
The boys wanted their dad. Geetanjali tried to make Khanna understand that it is difficult for the boys to face the world that always questioned them about the whereabouts of their father. Khanna chose the ashram over home which forced Geetanjali to file for divorce.
A new beginning
When Khanna returned from the US, he had nothing. That’s when he turned to his friends from the industry who welcomed him with open arms. In 1987, he had a brief fling with Amrita Singh which ended up because Amrita’s mother was not in favour of the match. On his 43rd birthday, Vinod Khanna met a beautiful lady, Kavita Daftary and fell for her. Kavita was a shy and timid person who thought that Vinod was just as pompous and proud as other actors. It took Vinod a lot of wooing before he could pursue her to go on a long drive with him. This long drive changed Kavita’s perception about the actor. That’s how a new love story began. In May 1990, the couple tied the knot. The couple was soon blessed with a son, Sakshi and a daughter, Shraddha.
On April 27, 2017, Vinod Khanna passed away following a prolonged sickness. The reason for the death was bladder cancer. The actor died with his family around. His second wife and kids were there during his testing times. We are glad that Khanna found love again. May his soul rest in peace.
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