Subhash Ghai credits Osho for inner growth: 'Gave me power within myself'
Synopsis
Subhash Ghai has revealed that Osho has been a guiding force in his life since 1975 — a 50-year relationship he says gave him 'power within myself to grow.' His Instagram tribute puts Bollywood's long, largely private connection with the Osho movement back in the spotlight, decades after Vinod Khanna made headlines by walking away from stardom for the Oregon commune.
Key Takeaways
Subhash Ghai shared a throwback Instagram post on Wednesday crediting Osho with transforming his personal and professional life.
Ghai said he first read Osho in 1975 and has been guided by the teachings for nearly 50 years .
The Osho movement emerged in the 1970s , blending meditation, mindfulness, and personal freedom, and gained global reach through Rajneeshpuram in Oregon, US .
Actor Vinod Khanna famously left Bollywood in the early 1980s to join the Oregon commune, returning to India in the mid-1980s .
The movement's history has been chronicled in the streaming docu-series 'Wild Wild Country' .
Veteran filmmaker and producer Subhash Ghai has opened up about the profound personal transformation he attributes to spiritual teacher Osho, sharing a heartfelt tribute on Instagram on Wednesday. The post, which included a throwback photograph of Ghai standing before a publicity image of Acharya Rajneesh — the founder of the Osho movement — quickly drew attention for its candid reflection on faith, self-discovery, and gratitude.
What Ghai Said
In a lengthy caption accompanying the throwback image, Ghai wrote: “It took 50 years for me to understand the value of a guru till I read #OSHO in 1975 who kept enlightening me about myself people n ultimate truth till today. He gave me a power within myself to grow at all levels at everytime.”
The filmmaker added: “How can I express my gratitude to this great GURU #OSHO. who gave me a happy peaceful life till date. Thank u is too small word.”
Ghai's post underscores a decades-long personal connection with Osho's philosophy — one that, by his own account, has shaped his worldview since 1975.
The Osho Movement: Background
The Osho movement emerged in the 1970s as a global spiritual phenomenon, blending meditation, mindfulness, self-awareness, and personal freedom. Its unconventional teachings and dynamic meditation techniques attracted followers from across the world, while its rejection of rigid religious traditions set it apart from mainstream spiritual organisations.
Osho encouraged individuals to celebrate life while pursuing inner transformation, a philosophy that proved especially appealing to younger generations seeking alternatives to conventional religion. The movement gained widespread international attention with the establishment of Rajneeshpuram in Oregon, US, though the commune was later engulfed in significant legal controversies.
Bollywood's Connection to Osho
Ghai is not the only prominent Bollywood figure to have drawn inspiration from the Osho movement. Actor Vinod Khanna was among the most high-profile Indian film personalities to become publicly associated with it. At the peak of his career in the early 1980s, Khanna made the surprising decision to step away from mainstream cinema and join Osho's commune at Rajneeshpuram, Oregon.
During his time there, Khanna reportedly performed everyday tasks — including gardening and maintenance — while immersing himself in meditation and communal life. His departure shocked the Indian film industry, given the scale of the stardom he left behind. He eventually returned to India in the mid-1980s and resumed his acting career.
Cultural Footprint
The Osho movement's complex legacy — spanning spiritual influence, global outreach, and legal controversy — has been extensively documented in the acclaimed streaming docu-series 'Wild Wild Country', which introduced the commune's story to a new generation of viewers worldwide.
Ghai's candid tribute adds a fresh Bollywood dimension to an ongoing cultural conversation about Osho's enduring influence on Indian public life.
Point of View
Many Indian artists quietly maintained a very different relationship with the philosophy. The contrast between Vinod Khanna's dramatic, public renunciation of stardom and Ghai's private, sustained engagement over five decades points to two distinct modes of spiritual seeking — one performative, one integrative. That distinction is worth noting as Osho's legacy continues to be contested globally.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Subhash Ghai say about Osho?
Subhash Ghai said Osho gave him 'a power within myself to grow at all levels at everytime' and credited the spiritual teacher with providing him 'a happy peaceful life' since he first read Osho's works in 1975. He shared these thoughts in a caption accompanying a throwback Instagram post on Wednesday.
When did Subhash Ghai first encounter Osho's teachings?
According to Ghai's own account, he first read Osho in 1975 — a connection he says has continued to enlighten him for nearly 50 years.
What is the Osho movement?
The Osho movement is a global spiritual movement that emerged in the 1970s, founded by Acharya Rajneesh. It blends meditation, mindfulness, self-awareness, and personal freedom, and became internationally known through the establishment of the Rajneeshpuram commune in Oregon, US, though the commune later faced significant legal controversies.
Which other Bollywood star was associated with Osho?
Actor Vinod Khanna was one of the most prominent Bollywood figures linked to the Osho movement. At the peak of his career in the early 1980s, he left Indian cinema to join the Rajneeshpuram commune in Oregon, returning to acting in India in the mid-1980s.
Where can I learn more about the Osho movement's history?
The history of the Osho movement and the Rajneeshpuram commune has been extensively documented in the streaming docu-series 'Wild Wild Country', which brought the story to a global audience.
