'He Had Everything, But He Wasn’t Happy': Ma Anand Sheela Recalls Vinod Khanna’s Time At Osho Ashram

Ma Anand Sheela—Osho’s former secretary and a prominent figure in his inner circle—has shared her impressions of Vinod Khanna during his time at the ashram.

Vinod Khanna left the film industry to become a disciple of Osho (then known as Rajneesh) and moved to the spiritual commune of Rajneeshpuram in Oregon, USA. 

Source : Instagram/@vinodkhanna2506

Vinod Khanna was one of Hindi cinema’s biggest stars in the early 1980s, enjoying a successful film career when he made the bold choice to step away from the spotlight. At the height of his fame, Khanna left the film industry to become a disciple of Osho (then known as Rajneesh) and moved to the spiritual commune of Rajneeshpuram in Oregon, USA. 

Decades later, Ma Anand Sheela—Osho’s former secretary and a prominent figure in his inner circle—has shared her impressions of Khanna during his time at the ashram. In a conversation with Pinkvilla, Sheela revealed that the actor seemed to be going through emotional turmoil, hinting at marital issues and struggles with alcohol. 

"Vinod Khanna wasn't happy"

“He was a big star but for me he was just another Sanyasi,” she said, adding with a chuckle, “I was a bigger celebrity there.” 

She went on to elaborate, “He had everything back home, but he wasn’t happy. On top of that, he consumed alcohol. It is a bad combination: Unhappiness and alcohol. Marital problems are very prevalent in the world. They can make or break someone.” 

When asked if Khanna’s personal troubles were related to his marriage with Geetanjali Khanna, Sheela responded, “I think that was his struggle from what I could understand.” However, she noted that she never directly asked him whether he found peace at the ashram. 

Vinod Khanna on renouncing worldly life

In a past interview with Simi Garewal, Vinod Khanna had spoken openly about the inner chaos that led him to renounce worldly life. “My mind was thinking too much. I was too hyper. My thoughts were all over the place. I was very angry. I’d reached a saturation point,” he told her.  

He explained that meditation brought him clarity and a sense of control over his emotions. “You have to become the master of your own mind… these were the things that drove me to say that I’ve had enough… Now, if I want to go deeper into meditation, I have to give my full time to it. I have to live in an ashram, I have to live at the feet of my guru.” 

Khanna remained in Oregon for five years before returning to India following the fall of the Rajneeshpuram commune. He eventually resumed his acting career and separated from his first wife, Geetanjali. A few years later, he married Kavita Daftary. 

Vinod Khanna passed away in 2017 at the age of 70.