My little tribute to Mr. Vinod Khanna - who once upon a time was a charming Bollywood Actor

-----Vinod Khanna----

This post is different from my other posts. The reason? Well, I am not much into celebrities nor do I write on them. I stopped watching movies in '79 with only few here and there. This is the first time I am writing that too on an Indian yester years' celebrity (Once India's heartthrob) whom I would describe as an "eye candy" namely Mr. Vinod Khanna: A handsome man with good physique, an action and a romantic hero, talented, portrayed as confident, fearless, emotional, compassionate; and with good comedy, and good attitude. Few weeks ago the news of his sickness and the image of his frail weakened body popped up on social media. People were shocked to see that weakened body, as we are all used to seeing the much in control and cutie guy on screen who fought all the way. Many prayed for him to get well but God in his wisdom ended Vinod Khanna's painful last days on earth and yes we sadly read in the media that this once very liked actor now passed away on 27 April, 2017, at the age of 70, due to cancer. (My dearest nephew Nikunj Sioni, 24 years, too died on that day in 2008 so I will remember this) This is also different because some joyful part of my childhood is connected with this and learning of the demise of the very liked Vinod Khanna leaves me mourning like as if he were my relative or a cousin. Cousin, yes, because many of my cousins had two favorites at that time, Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna. We had choices of Dharmendra, and Rajesh Khanna as well. Many liked Vinod Khanna and talked of him. So many boys and men tried to look like him by following his hair style, clothing style, his talking style etc..

Personally for me, I remember that while playing card games in the summer vacation in a small village of India, my cousin and I used to say "Vinod Khanna" as a cue for a diamond card that we wanted one another to throw. Vinod Khanna had a habit of clenching his teeth most of the time whether he was angry or happy, so my cousin came up with that bright idea to use his name to cue our partner to throw a Diamond card, because in Gujarati you clench your teeth to say "Charkat"or "Chokdi".

I enjoyed his action and romantic roles because for me at that age, Shashi Kapoor though a darling was too soapy, and Amitabh a famous angry young man was too serious for life, but Vinod Khanna played happy go lucky fellow; with action and romantic scenes the charming actor was just fun. Vinod Khanna had a sweet personality of his own that people admired. Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Haath ki Safaai, Muqadar ka Sikandar, Parvarish, Zameer,  AAA (Amar, Akbar, Anthony), Hera Pheri, Kudrat, Jurm, Qurbani, The Burning Train were some movies that he did a superb job in. (the ones I have seen)  Although he would do negative roles, his good roles attracted. While I would think of deciding between Amitabh and Vinod, my cousins would say more positive things about (Vinny) Vinod Khanna and some of my friends also said that even in Muqadar ka Sikandar Rakhee loved VK and looked great with him. I liked what my dear ones said and enjoyed watching Mr. handsome Vinod Khanna. Though I do not agree with few of his life choices nor do I approve of it, Vinod Khanna's movies and memories thereof is a joyous part of mine and many others' growing up stories. I am here to talk good memorable things about him.

As I said, I had stopped watching movies in the 79, my teenage, because I was told in India that when you become a born again believer in Christ you must stop watching movies as it is a sin. I found that strange and was not too happy about it but followed that advice and gave up singing movie songs and watching movies. Before that I had watched some good ones. I must say as much as I understand that it can be an obsession and some things may not be worth watching, I also learned a lot: "To believe in God, to be positive in life, (portrayed through good dialogues), and how to never give up; life is difficult but we continue to laugh and smile in our pain, good always wins, trust God, and eventually we will overcome." I believed in love and solid committed friendships. Indian movies are emotional so it awakens an emotional side of you for good. So I thought there was something strange being told not to watch good stuff like that in movies; although not all that we see in movies is good. Then I went to Kenya to join my parents, just in couple of months in 1979; there my christian believer mentor taught me balance and corrected that odd thinking by teaching me that it is not a sin to watch movies, I can watch it for enjoyment or if I want to learn good things from it, yes, I can watch movies with a biblical world view and see what is wrong and what is not.  That seemed a great idea and we did watch few movies here and there. But for a long time even after that I had chosen not to watch movies often. Then lo and behold, I have been married a man who loves watching movies.  He has showed me some good movies. Bawarchi (Chef) being one of them that just reinforced my passion of cooking and serving others. Now after Vinod Khanna's death, in my 50s, I heard some of his best songs, and I was like, wow! this guy did such beautiful famous songs that we have heard and I did not know that they were his movies. So as a tribute to him, I want to watch his old movies, as a relative would want to keep the memories alive. Thinking of good times and thanking God for this talented actor.

Many of Amitabh and Vinod Khanna duo movies were fun. The two did a superb job of being friends/brothers on screen. I was happy to read the tribute big B wrote on VK, I did not expect anything less as that was what we witnessed on screen, growing up.

I also read another blog by an Amitabh fan on Vinod Khanna and it resonated much of what the writer was saying. We all loved the fight scene in AAA (Amar Akbar and Anthony) where we thought Amitabh was going to do Vinod Khanna's "Dhulai" (beat him up) but the way it went the other way round, was remarkable and is a very liked scene till today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2IzAEM4k9E

His melodius song, "Wada karle Saajana" (Promise me my beloved one) in Haath ki Safaai was my favorite growing up and many more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF7tUQ95BJE

In the early 80s, It was sad to see him leave the fame and his bright career and join "Osho Rajneesh" to become a monk. But wait a minute, that shows his heart searched for something bigger than himself, even with all that fame, good repute, and money, he still searched for God. How many of us would leave the career at it rising super well to be a gardener/janitor of a mortal human being who died! How many of us would do that for the real loving, just, caring God who sustains us all, whom no one has seen and who never dies and lives forever? Like my best friend says, "The very breath that we all breathe is in the very hands of the Everlasting God, He can take it away any minute He deems fit!" I wish that before his death dear Vinod Khanna ji was able to make peace with the Real Everlasting eternal God. That is my prayer.

The other thing I learn from his life is that he was influential. Like I mentioned above, many followed his hair style, his clothing style, or the way he delivered his dialogues with much poise and confidence, and his action/fights brought excitement! His romantic ways of pursuing a girl onscreen brought smiles to girls in real life. And his on-screen rock solid friendships were something people imitated for real. Need I say that many followed Rajneesh too because of him! Are believers in true God really that influential to lead others to true God?

Anyways, let's just say for now, isn't technology a blessing that today we can watch our loved ones or people we admired, who are no more with us, on You tube, videos, and find that joy in our hearts and smile on our faces. Yes, Vinod Khanna is no more but having watched his acting in movies remains a happy part of my childhood and growing years and his yaadein alive with us all! We thank God for his life and his choosing to entertain us all by joining Indian cinema and doing a fine job. We pray for comfort for his family.

In closing I remember this last song's lines from Mukadar ka Sikandar. As much as life is beautiful, "Zindagi toh bewafa hey, ek din thukarayegi, Maut mehbooba hey apne saath le kar jaayegi, mar ke jeene ki ada toh duniya ko sikhlaayega."= "Life will betray, learn to love death, teach the world how to live by dying" Smile in your pain, face difficulties with joy! Bye bye, Mr. Vinod Khanna! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFymMLBt0VY

Blessings,
KC - Aka Kalpana Christian Sharma.