Nude Meditation at Chowpatty, Gardener at Osho’s Ashram: Vinod Khanna’s Life Away From Films

At the height of his Bollywood stardom, Vinod Khanna shocked fans by stepping away from films to follow spiritual guru Osho. Years later, his second wife, Kavita Khanna, has offered rare insights into that phase of his life—speaking about everything from nude meditation sessions on a Mumbai beach to his years of service at Osho’s commune.

Vinod Khanna’s Life at Osho’s Ashram

In a video posted on her YouTube channel, Kavita Khanna spoke candidly about why the late actor abandoned a flourishing career to join Osho’s commune, first in India and later in Oregon, US.

She said Vinod Khanna had been deeply spiritual from a young age and bought Autobiography of a Yogi when he was just 17.

Recalling the turning point that led him to take sanyas, Kavita said a series of personal losses deeply affected him.
“The tipping point from giving up this unbelievable material life—the adoration, the success—was when a number of deaths happened in the family within two years. When his mother passed away, he just went to Osho and took sanyas,” she said.

Despite being one of India’s biggest film stars, Vinod Khanna embraced a life of service at the commune. Kavita revealed that during his time at Osho’s private residence in Oregon, he worked as a gardener.

“He was Osho’s gardener. Osho’s home was private, and very few people had access to it, but if you were the gardener, you were there. That was his seva,” she said.

She also shared that Khanna served as a model for Osho’s signature robes.
“In Oregon, Osho had these fabulous flowing robes designed for him, and they were often tried on Vinod because they had the same shoulder size,” she said.

Kavita further recalled that the actor participated in nude meditation sessions at Mumbai’s Girgaon Chowpatty before moving to the Pune ashram.

She described the experience as deeply spiritual rather than physical.
“The meditations on Chowpatty Beach, right in the centre of this throbbing city, involved everyone taking their clothes off and meditating naked in a circle. I know Vinod was not there for the physical aspect of it. His journey was spiritual, with immense commitment and devotion,” she said.

More About Vinod Khanna

Vinod Khanna, known for iconic films such as Mere Apne, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Amar Akbar Anthony and Qurbani, died in 2017 at the age of 70 after battling advanced bladder carcinoma. He was undergoing treatment at Mumbai’s HN Reliance Foundation Hospital.

He made his acting debut with Mann Ka Meet in 1968 and initially gained fame for villainous roles before becoming one of Hindi cinema’s most successful leading men.

In 1982, at the peak of his career, he quit films to join Osho Rajneesh. He later returned to acting, appearing in films such as Wanted, Dabangg and Dilwale.

Khanna was first married to Geetanjali, with whom he had two sons—Rahul Khanna and Akshaye Khanna. The couple divorced in 1985. He later married Kavita Khanna, and they had two children, Sakshi and Shraddha.