I had just completed my twelfth standard when I watched Mera Gaon Mera Desh for the first time. I watched the movie a dozen times after that, because my 16-year-old self had found its hero.Anil, 58, Vinod Khanna fan
Vinod Khanna had a massive impact on a generation that was learning to grow on new forms of entertainment.
He was a symbol of fashionable India. He made evil – which was traditionally a “Lion” or a “Prem Chopra” domain – look appealing. He brought a wave of fashion among men. His deep necklined, angry exterior with a heart of gold melted women and men equally. The only time when my parents agreed with one another was when they discussed him.
Vinod Khanna made a deep impression in everyone’s psyche. The minute the news of his demise surfaced, I immediately called my father – his love for Vinod Khanna was unparalleled. Unfortunately, I was the crow who carried the bad news for him. He was at work, but came home early that day.
A Generation Remembers
“There used to be a tree outside Vinod Khanna’s bungalow in Colaba. I would often sit under it and wonder where my life was going. I was 16 then,” remembers Anil.
Anil goes on to reminisce about his tryst with Vinod Khanna.
“I had just finished school and had come to Mumbai (then Bombay) to meet with my favourite superstar.”
“This was in 1974, when Khanna was on the brink of renouncing worldly pleasures and choosing the life of an ascetic. I would sit under the tree and think of the tree’s fruits as my future opportunities: further studies, career, jobs, marriage. However, the only (imaginary) fruit that seemed the most encouraging to me was waiting outside Khanna’s house and convincing him to NOT give up his super stardom.”
“Well, I did end up meeting him, but, only for five minutes; didn’t talk much with him, was only able to shake hands and tell him how big a fan I was.”
“Later, I watched him from behind the scenes when he was filming for Parvarish, I realised he was doing his job and he was doing it bloody well. His change of path seemed crazy to me! I went back home, to realise my own dream and to see if I had the courage to renounce it the way he could. I am 58, and I obviously have not.”
And Women Were Just as Besotted
Like Anil, women my mother’s age would wait for a copy of Filmfare or lie at home to catch a first day first show of his movies.
He was undoubtedly the most handsome hero of our times. He beat Amitabh Bachchan hollow when it came to good looks!Sarmishtha Guharoy
Jyoti, on the other hand, was a Mumbaikar, and would sneak visits to Vinod Khanna’s shoot schedules as and when she could.
I was 11 when Mera Gaon Mera Desh released. The first of the lot. I was obviously too young to harbour any affections then, but, I distinctly remember being mesmerised by the eyes.Jyoti
Jyoti lived in Ville Parle and catching a film being shot wasn’t a huge achievement. Yet, she would check with the spot boys for a Vinod Khanna schedule in her vicinity. She recounts wistfully:
The only regret that I have is the fact that I could never muster the courage to go up to him and ask him for an autograph!Jyoti
Both my parents were deeply moved when they saw the picture of him in frail health doing the rounds on WhatsApp. “That’s not the star we knew.”
As I heard the stories of Vinod Khanna from their youth, I was struck by the deep connect that actors managed to have with their audience. A connect in an age where paparazzi meant a long feature story in a gossip magazine or featuring in a talk show and talking about your love life.
With only the screen image being there for you to love, and social media not being discovered, the connect I am sure was made of selfless love!
If Vinod Khanna were to give a last ‘thank you’ to his fans, he might have said these lines:
Ruk jaana nahin tu kabhi haar ke
Kaaton pe chal kar milenge saaye bahaar ke
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