Simi Garewal remembers Vinod Khanna: 'My co-star, neighbour and friend'
Synopsis
On what would have been Vinod Khanna's 80th birthday, Simi Garewal reshared a fan's post on X featuring their 1974 song and wrote: 'I miss him. Vinod was my co-star, my neighbour..and my friend.' A rare, personal window into a Bollywood friendship that survived decades beyond the film set.
Key Takeaways
Simi Garewal paid tribute to Vinod Khanna on his 80th birth anniversary , calling him her co-star, neighbour, and friend.
The tribute was prompted by a fan's post on X sharing the song 'Wada Kar Le Sajna' from their 1974 film 'Haath Ki Safai' .
The film, directed by Prakash Mehra , also starred Randhir Kapoor and Hema Malini .
Vinod Khanna had appeared on Simi Garewal's chat show with his wife Kavita Khanna , discussing his spiritual phase at the Osho commune in Oregon and his political career.
Vinod Khanna passed away on 27 April 2017 after a battle with cancer.
Veteran actress Simi Garewal has paid a heartfelt tribute to late actor Vinod Khanna, describing him as a co-star, a neighbour, and a close friend. Her words came in response to a fan's post on X marking what would have been Vinod Khanna's 80th birthday.
The Post That Sparked the Tribute
On Vinod Khanna's birth anniversary, a fan shared the romantic song 'Wada Kar Le Sajna' from the 1974 film 'Haath Ki Safai' on X, tagging Simi Garewal directly. The fan captioned it: '@Simi_Garewal Maam, your co-star Vinod Khanna would've been 80 today. This is gem from you two.' Resharing the post, Simi wrote: 'Thank you. I miss him. Vinod was my co-star, my neighbour..and my friend.'
Their On-Screen Chemistry and Shared Film
'Haath Ki Safai', directed by Prakash Mehra, brought together an ensemble that also included Randhir Kapoor and Hema Malini. In the film, Vinod Khanna played the role of Shankar, while Simi essayed the character of Roma. The action-drama remains a celebrated entry in both actors' filmographies from that era of Hindi cinema.
Their Bond Beyond the Screen
The connection between Simi and Vinod extended well past their shared film credits — they were also neighbours, a detail that added a personal warmth to her remembrance. Vinod Khanna had also appeared on Simi Garewal's chat show alongside his second wife, Kavita Khanna, where he spoke candidly about his journey from Bollywood superstardom to his decision to leave films and spend time at the Osho commune in Oregon, and his subsequent foray into politics.
Kavita Khanna's Candid Recollection
During that chat show appearance, Kavita Khanna offered a rare and candid glimpse into life with the philosophical actor. She was quoted as saying: 'He is a very taxing person to live with. But that is Vinod and that is what I liked about him when we first started talking to each other. He was extending boundaries of thought and it was wonderful to do at midnight when I was in that space. To have it do that every day with routine things you do in life is a little taxing.'
Remembering a Bollywood Icon
Vinod Khanna passed away on 27 April 2017 after a prolonged battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy that spanned decades of Hindi cinema. His birth anniversary continues to evoke strong memories among fans and colleagues alike. Simi Garewal's tribute is a reminder of the deep personal bonds that flourished alongside the professional partnerships of Bollywood's golden era — and of how those bonds endure long after the cameras stop rolling.
Point of View
Neighbour, friend. What it surfaces is something mainstream Bollywood coverage rarely tracks: the quiet, lasting personal bonds that outlived the professional ones. Vinod Khanna's career arc — superstar, spiritual seeker, politician — was well documented, but the texture of his friendships rarely was. Tributes like this are also a reminder that Bollywood's golden era produced a social fabric, not just a film catalogue, and that fabric is thinning with every passing anniversary.
NationPress
7 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Simi Garewal pay tribute to Vinod Khanna?
Simi Garewal paid tribute to Vinod Khanna on his 80th birth anniversary after a fan shared the song 'Wada Kar Le Sajna' from their 1974 film 'Haath Ki Safai' on X and tagged her. She reshared the post, writing that she misses him and that he was her co-star, neighbour, and friend.
What film did Simi Garewal and Vinod Khanna do together?
The two starred together in 'Haath Ki Safai', a 1974 action-drama directed by Prakash Mehra. The film also featured Randhir Kapoor and Hema Malini; Vinod Khanna played Shankar and Simi Garewal played Roma.
When did Vinod Khanna pass away?
Vinod Khanna passed away on 27 April 2017 after a battle with cancer. He was one of Bollywood's most prominent leading men of the 1970s and 1980s, and later served as a politician.
What did Vinod Khanna speak about on Simi Garewal's chat show?
On Simi Garewal's chat show, Vinod Khanna appeared with his second wife Kavita Khanna and discussed several phases of his life — including his rise as a Bollywood star, his time at the Osho commune in Oregon, and his entry into politics.
What did Kavita Khanna say about life with Vinod Khanna?
Kavita Khanna described Vinod as 'a very taxing person to live with', adding that his philosophical nature and constant search for answers, while intellectually stimulating, could be challenging in everyday life. She also said that his boundary-pushing thinking was what initially drew her to him.
