Vinod Khanna’s son, Akshaye Khanna, has gained popularity for his role in Aditya Dhar’s film Dhurandhar. As the son of Bollywood legend Vinod Khanna, Akshaye has clearly inherited his father’s acting talent. While fans are well aware of Vinod Khanna’s illustrious career, few know about his first wife and her life.
Who Was Vinod Khanna’s First Wife?
Vinod Khanna’s first wife, Geetanjali Taleyarkhan, was a model from a Parsi family. Her household included lawyers and businesspeople, and she was the first in her family to enter the glamour world. Geetanjali was the daughter of A.F.S. Taleyarkhan, who was one of India’s first commentators in the early 1950s.
How Vinod Khanna Met Geetanjali Taleyarkhan?
Vinod Khanna first met Geetanjali in college. Captivated by her beauty, he began dating her. At the time, Vinod was not yet a well-known figure in Bollywood. During this period, producer Sunil Dutt noticed him and offered him his first film, Man Ka Meet, marking the beginning of his acting journey.
Vinod Khanna’s Marriage and Family Life
After establishing himself in Bollywood, Vinod Khanna decided to marry. He and Geetanjali tied the knot in 1971 in a grand ceremony attended by industry elites. The couple had two sons: Rahul Khanna (born 1972) and Akshaye Khanna (born 1975). Vinod was committed to balancing his career and family life, even making it a rule not to work on Sundays to spend time with his loved ones.
Reasons Behind Vinod Khanna and Geetanjali’s Divorce
At the peak of his career and with a happy family, Vinod Khanna felt a deep spiritual calling. In 1982, he chose to take sanyas and joined Osho’s ashram, leaving behind Bollywood and his family. Initially, he stayed in touch with his wife and children via phone, but distance made family life challenging.
Geetanjali struggled to raise the children alone, and after three years of trying to convince Vinod to return, she issued an ultimatum: choose between family and spiritual pursuits. When he did not respond, she filed for divorce, and they legally separated in 1985. Vinod returned to India in 1987, but by then, their marriage had already ended.
Vinod Khanna’s Life After Divorce
After returning to India, Vinod Khanna resumed his film career and found love again at age 43 with Kavita Daftary. The couple married in 1990 and had two children together.
Meanwhile, Geetanjali Taleyarkhan chose not to remarry and raised Rahul and Akshaye on her own. She passed away in 2018 at the age of 70, while Vinod Khanna had died a year earlier, in 2017.
