RIP – VINOD KHANNA – A STAR AND GENTLEMAN

Vinod Khanna, the most smart and handsome Hindi movie star has breathed his last today the 27^th April, 2017.  He will always be remembered as the only potential candidate in 1980s who could have marched ahead Amitabh Bhachan, may be for a brief period, but overall remained an under achiever, as a film star, for causes mainly attributable to him only.    

Vinod Khanna is one of those actors who made everything on his own, no linage, no favourite camp (though worked in many movies of Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra in 70s).   He had very modest beginning doing small side roles (in movies like Poorab aur Pashim, few south Indian remakes featuring Mehmood) and negatives roles.   He and his dashing personality got a great and enduring recognition in movies like Mera Gao Mera Desh (in memorable role of Daaku Jabbar Singh), Kache Dhage and Phool aur Phattar.   He exhibited great courage in accepting off-beat themes very early in his career with movies like `Mere Apne' and Intihaan, both brought him recognition and critical acclaim. 

  

Come 70s he blossomed into much sought after actor predominantly for his terrific personality, he was as tall as Amitabh Bachan, but surely better looking than him or any other contemporaries.   The advent of multi-starrers and his having no qualms in being part of multi starer movies have given a short in arm for his career in soaring peaks.   He worked close to 50 multi starrers in his entire career.   Though he paired with Rajesh Khanna, Jitender, Randhir Kapoor and Sashi Kapoor, his pairing with Amitabh has produced a string of super hits movies like Hera Pheri, Khoon Pasina, Amar Akbar Anthony, Muqaddar ka Sikender and Parvarish.   He was so popular in Multi Star set up that whatever may be the length of his role, he was reported to have been paid more than the leading pair in many movies, more than even Amitabh and Jitender.   

For some strange reasons despite his huge popularity and ability to carry movie on his shoulders, very few of his solo starers were super hits and racked big box office collection. Achanak,  Inkaar and Quid were pretty decent movies but such movies were few and far in between

The biggest block buster of his career was with his good friend

Feroz Khan Quarbani, which broke all box office records at that time.   That was the time when he could have gone on a signing spree of new and plump assignments, but he shocked the Bollywood by announcing turning into Sanyasi and follower of Rajnish.   From his film career point of view that was the biggest loss.   Though he came back and gave back to back hits with Insaaf and Satyameva Jayate, he could never reproduce the same magic.   Once in a while he excelled in his forte of multi starrers like Chandni,  Kudrat and towards the end of the career some interesting roles in Dabang series.

Another very good quality of Vinod Khanna was though, being as handsome as he was, and he joining Osho Ashram which was in new for many wrong reasons too, there was lot written about him by those who excel in yellow journalism.  Lot was written about cold war between him and Amitabh and his owing not to work with him after minor freak accident on the sets Muqudar Ka Sikander, he always maintained a dignified silence and never went public with any thing

Though not very flamboyant like Shatru, in politics he has been extremely successful getting elected to Lok Sabha from Gurdaspur four times, and at the time of his passing away he is sitting MP.  Unlike many celebrities he used to make himself available for the people of Gurdaspur and commanded healthy attendance in Parliament.   For short duration he discharged duties as Minister of State in Ministries of Tourism and also External Affairs. 

The other facet I know of him is as a Director of Companies.    I had the privilege of convening and attending many Board meetings in a hospitality chain having him as a Board member.   Again he was fairly regular in attending Board Meetings, turning up in time, be attentive and ask very intelligent and relevant questions about business development, occupancy, measures to improve occupancy and revenues.    

He continued to be active and healthy till late 60s before he was hit by the terminal cancer.  In the death of Vinod Khanna, we lost a simple, non-flamboyant, friendly, and handsome film star and Gentleman to the core

RIP

S. Prabhakar

27.4.2017