Film Actor Vinod Khanna passed away today after prolonged illness. He succumbed to deadly cancer at hospital in Mumbai.
The veteran actor was hospitalised in HN Reliance Foundation and Research Centre in Girgaum on March 31 after complaining of severe dehydration.
A photo of the actor was circulating the internet where he looked frail and thin which sparked rumours that he was suffering from bladder cancer.
However, Khanna’s sons said that their father was stable and recovering. The star reportedly died in the early hours of Thursday.
Khanna was born in a Punjabi family to Kamla and Kishanchand Khanna, a textiles, dyes and chemicals businessman, on 6 October 1946, in Peshawar(now in Pakistan). He has three sisters and one brother. Shortly after his birth, India was partitioned and the family left Peshawar and reached Mumbai.
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The actor debuted in 1968 with ‘Man Ka Meet’ and is best remembered for his performance in films like ‘Mere Apne’, ‘Mera Gaon Mera Desh’, ‘Imitihaan’, ‘Inkaar’, ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’, ‘Lahu ke Do Rang”, “Qurbani”, “Dayavaan” and “Jurm”. He was last seen in Shah Rukh Khan-starrer 2015 film “Dilwale”.
The late actor is survived by his wife Kavita Khanna and three sons. Actors Akshaye Khanna, Rahul Khanna from his first marriage. He also, has two children, Sakshi and Shradha from his second marriage to Kavita Khanna.
Achievements .
He made his acting debut with Mann Ka Meet in 1968. He went on to win numerous awards, including the Filmfare award for best supporting actor for Haath ki Safaai and in 1999, the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, and again in 2007 he won a lifetime achievement award at the Zee Cine Awards. He was seen in more than 100 films between 1968 and 2013.
However, in 1982 he decided to quit the film industry in his peak years and follow his guru Osho Rajneesh.
After a five year break, he returned to make hit movies like Insaaf and Satyamev Jayate.
Khanna joined politics in 1997 and got elected from Gurdaspur constituency in Punjab in the Lok Sabha polls. In 2002, during the time of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, he became Union minister for culture and tourism. Six months later, in January 2003, he became a Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs. Khanna lost the 2009 election, but was re-elected from Gurdaspur in 2014. He was one of the first from Bollywood fraternity to have joined politics, in 1997.
Biggest hits
Vinod Khanna acted in several top Bolywood hits in the 70s and 80s such as Mere Apne, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Gaddaar (1973 film), Jail Yatra, Imitihaan, Inkaar, Kuchhe Dhaage, Amar Akbar Anthony alongside Amitabh Bachan and Rishi Kapoor, Rajput, Qurbani, Kudrat, Dayavan, Kaarnama,Suryaa: An Awakening, Jurm and many others.
Early life
Khanna was born in a Punjabi family to Kamla and Kishanchand Khanna, a textiles, dyes and chemicals businessman, on 6 October 1946, in Peshawar(now in Pakistan). He has three sisters and one brother. Shortly after his birth, India was partitioned and the family left Peshawar and reached Mumbai.
He attended St. Mary’s School, Mumbai until class II and then transferred to Delhi. In 1957, the family moved to Delhi where he attended Delhi Public School, Mathura Road. Although the family moved back to Mumbai in 1960, he was sent to Barnes School in Deolali, near Nashik. During his time at the boarding school Khanna watched the epic Solva Saal and Mughal-e-Azam and fell in love with motion pictures. He graduated with a commerce degree from Sydenham College, Mumbai.
Condolences
Congress President Sonia Gandhi has condoled the demise of veteran film actor and Member of Parliament, Vinod Khanna.
Remembering him as a gifted actor who dominated the silver screen with his outstanding persona, she said Khanna had a rare and profound influence over the masses by his simple and charismatic character.
Mrs Gandhi has expressed solidarity with his family and prayed for the departed soul.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu has condoled the demise of veteran actor and BJP MP Vinod Khanna.
Mr. Naidu said, he is pained by the sad demise of Vinod Khanna. He said, he was hoping that Khanna will recover.
The Minister said, the film industry has lost a good actor and the BJP, a good parliamentarian.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has expressed grief over the demise of actor turned politician Vinod Khanna. He described him as a great actor and a gentleman politician.
BJP President Amit Shah has condoled the passing away of Vinod Khanna. In a series of tweets, Mr. Shah said with demise of Khanna the country has not only lost an actor par excellence but an outstanding politician. He said it is an irreparable loss for Indian cinema and the BJP.
The BJP Chief said the actor will remain in people hearts through his peerless acting and service as a Parliamentarian.