Vinod Khanna passes away at 70

Veteran Bollywood actor-turned-politician and former union Minister Vinod Khanna died here on Thursday morning after a prolonged illness, a family friend said. He was 70.

Khanna was hospitalised over a month ago, said a renowned producer with Tina Films International. He is survived by his wife and two actor sons.

Khanna was the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of the Lok Sabha from Gurdaspur in Punjab. He was into his fourth term as MP from the seat.

He was admitted to the Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital in the first week of April after reportedly suffering from severe dehydration.

Starting his career with minor roles in 1969, the actor built up a hugely successful career.

He featured in some of the biggest Bollywood hits like Mere Apne, Insaaf, Parvarish, Muqaddar Ka Siqandar, Qurbani, Dayavaan, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Chandni, The Burning Train and Amar Akbar Anthony among many others.

Khanna was first elected from Gurdaspur in 1998. He was re-elected in the 1999 and 2004 general elections. He lost narrowly in 2009 to Pratap Singh Bajwa (Congress).

Khanna avenged his defeat in 2014 by winning from Gurdaspur for the fourth time.

A Punjabi born in Peshawar (now in Pakistan), Khanna remained popular in the constituency despite accusations that he remained absent from the area most of the time.