Vinod Khanna

1968–1971

Vinod was spotted by Sunil Dutt after graduation, and made his acting debut in Sunil Dutt's 1968 film Man Ka Meet (directed by Adurthi Subba Rao) as a villain and in which Som Dutt was the hero, a remake of the Tamil film Kumari Penn.^[19] At the start of his career, he played supporting or villainous characters in films such as Purab Aur Paschim, Sachaa Jhutha, Aan Milo Sajna^[20] and Mastana in 1970, and in Mera Gaon Mera Desh and Elaan in 1971.^[19]

1971–1982

Khanna was one of few Hindi actors who began by playing villains and moved on to play the hero.^[21][22] He got his first break as the solo lead hero in the film Hum Tum Aur Woh (1971) opposite Bharathi Vishnuvardhan. It was followed by the 1971 multi-hero film about youth unrest^[23] Mere Apne directed by Gulzar.^[24]

In 1973, his performance as an army officer facing death row in another film scripted and directed by Gulzar, Achanak, was critically acclaimed.^[23] It echoed the true life story of K. M. Nanavati vs. State of Maharashtra and Khanna portrayed Kawas Nanavati, the real-life Navy officer.^[19] In 1974 he played a college professor in Imtihaan, which was different than his action movie roles. The movie was successful commercially in spite of releasing along with Roti Kapda Aur Makan and Majboor.^[25] This movie had the song "Ruk Jaan Nahi Tu Kahin Haarke" picturised on Vinod Khanna.^[26][27]

Khanna's Amar Akbar Anthony and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar were the highest grossing Indian movies of 1977^[28] and 1978 respectively.^[29][30][31] Muqaddar Ka Sikandar was the third highest-grossing Hindi movie in the 1970s after Sholay and Bobby.^[32] Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki was released in 1978.^[33] In this movie Khanna played a supporting male lead to Asha Parekh and Nutan.^[23]

Between 1973 and 1982, Khanna played the lead role in movies which included Farebi and Hatyara with Moushumi Chatterjee; Qaid in 1975 and Zalim in 1980, both with Leena Chandavarkar; and Inkaar in 1978 opposite Vidya Sinha. He did successful movies such as Dhamkee with Kumkum, Gaddaar (1973 film) with Yogita Bali, Aap Ki Khatir (1977 film) opposite Rekha, Raajmahal with Neetu Singh, Khoon Ki Pukaar, Shaque and Adha Din Aadhi Raat with Shabana Azmi, Aarop with Saira Banu, Taaqat with Rakhee and Parveen Babi, Jail Yatra and Insaan (1982 film) opposite Reena Roy, Daulat (1982 film) with Zeenat Aman and The Burning Train with Parveen Babi. In 1980, he starred in Feroz Khan's Qurbani (1980) which became the highest-grossing film of that year.^[34] He was, at the time, one of the highest paid actors in Hindi films.^[35]

Vinod also starred in 47 multi-hero films.^[36] In Shankar Shambhu he co-starred with Feroz Khan and in Chor Sipahee and Ek Aur Ek Gyarah he co-starred with Shashi Kapoor, in Hera Pheri, Khoon Pasina, Amar Akbar Anthony, Zameer, Parvarish and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar Khanna appeared with Amitabh Bacchan; and in Haath Ki Safai and Aakhri Daku he co-starred with Randhir Kapoor. He appeared with Sunil Dutt in Daku Aur Jawan. He acted with Jeetendra in Ek Hasina Do Diwane, Ek Bechara, Parichay, Insaan (1982 film), Anokhi Ada and Janam Kundli. He did Rakhwala, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Patthar Aur Payal, The Burning Train, Batwara and Farishtay with Dharmendra. He worked with Shatrughan Sinha in films such as Panch Dushman, Bombay 405 Miles, Dost Aur Dushman, Pyaar Ka Rishta, Daulat Ke Dushman and Do Yaar, beginning with Gulzar's directorial debut Mere Apne.^[37] Gulzar worked with him in Achanak, Meera and Lekin, after his first movie Mere Apne.^[38]

1982–1986

Khanna became a follower of the spiritual teacher Osho (Rajneesh) and left the film industry in 1982 for five years.^[39][40]

1987–2015

In 1987, Khanna returned to films with Insaaf in which he performed with Dimple Kapadia.^[41] After his comeback, he played romantic roles in Jurm and Chandni, but he was mostly offered roles in action films.^[42] after Amar Akbar Anthony.^[43] His Muzaffar Ali-directed Dimple Kapadia-starrer Zooni is still unreleased.^[44][45]

After Qurbani, he worked with Feroz Khan again in Dayavan in 1988. The movie was a remake of Maniratnam's 1987 Tamil movie Nayakan.^[46]

In the 1990s, Khanna appeared in films including Muqaddar Ka Badshaah, CID, Jurm, Lekin, Humshakal, Aakhri Adaalat, Maha-Sangram, Khoon Ka Karz, Police Aur Mujrim, Kshatriya, Insaaniyat Ke Devta, Ekka Raja Rani and Eena Meena Deeka. Actor Salman Khan played a supporting role in the film Nishchaiy in which Vinod Khanna is in the lead role. His pairing with Meenakshi Seshadri was appreciated by audiences and the pair made films such as Jurm, Mahaadev, Police Aur Mujrim, Humshakal and Satyamev Jayate. Actor Ranjeet directed Kaarnama in 1990 with Vinod in the lead role. He co-starred with Raaj Kumar in Suryaa: An Awakening.

In 1997, he launched his son Akshaye Khanna in Himalay Putra in which he also starred alongside him. In 1999, Vinod Khanna received a Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the industry for over three decades. Since then, he started playing character roles in films such as Deewaanapan (2002), Red Alert: The War Within, Wanted (2009), Dabangg (2010) and Dabangg 2(2012). In 2007, he starred in the Pakistani film Godfather.

Khanna also ventured into television, playing the male lead role of "Kashinath" in the Smriti Irani-produced Hindi serial mere apne, which aired on the channel 9X in 2009. In 2014, he played the lead role in Koyelaanchal, in which he played the role of a Godfather and leader of the coal mafia.^[47] He made his last film appearance in the 2015 film Dilwale alongside Shah Rukh Khan. The film was directed by National awards-winning film director Rohit Shetty and released on 18 December 2015 worldwide.He also acted in the film EK THI RANI AISI BHI,a biopic based on the life and times of Vijaya raje Scindia of Gwalior. The film was released in 2017 and also premiered on Zee T.V.