
Who is Acharya Ashok? Preity Zinta's new spiritual guru, also shares past connection with…
Acharya Ashok Dwivedi is a respected spiritual leader based in Varanasi. He has been instrumental in promoting spiritual teachings and guiding individuals on their spiritual journeys. His association with Preity Zinta began years ago, introduced by the late actor Rajesh Khanna and actress Dimple Kapadia. Since then, he has been a guiding force in her life. What Impact Has Been Created By Acharya Ashok?
Beyond his association with celebrities, Acharya Ashok has been actively involved in spiritual education and community service. He has participated in events that promote communal harmony, such as Guru Purnima celebrations in Kashi, where individuals from diverse backgrounds come together to honor their spiritual mentors. These events emphasize the importance of unity, respect, and the role of spiritual guidance in society.
Preity Zinta's public acknowledgment of Acharya Ashok Dwivedi as her spiritual guide underscores the profound impact of spiritual mentorship. Acharya Ashok's contributions to spiritual education and communal harmony continue to inspire many, reflecting the enduring significance of the guru-disciple relationship in contemporary times. What Connection Did Acharya Ashok Have With Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia?
Acharya Ashok Dwivedi said that many years ago, Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia had arranged a meeting between him and Preity Zinta and since then, she has been seeking spiritual guidance from her. Meanwhile, reports suggest that there is no established link between Acharya Ashok and Rajesh Khanna or Dimple Kapadia, apart from the fact that Dimple Kapadia married Rajesh Khanna and Acharya Ashok is a fairly common name.
At the time of her marriage, Dimple Kapadia was a young actress, while Rajesh Khanna was a much older and well-known superstar. Although their marriage was initially celebrated, it encountered difficulties, and they ultimately separated, but they never divorced.

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India.com
15 hours ago
- India.com
'Mera ghar bikwana…'; Rajesh Khanna once refused to sell his 'Aashirwad' bungalow to this actor, even during..., he is…
Bollywood's first superstar, Rajesh Khanna was popular for his films, controversial life, and his bungalow. You'd be surprised to note that Rajesh Khanna also went through a financial crisis. Yes, it is the same bungalow whose name was 'Aashirwad'. Originally, this bungalow was first bought by Bharat Bhushan, and he became a very big star by living in that bungalow. How did Rajesh Khanna end up buying the Aashirwad bungalow? In Rajesh Khanna's biography, 'Dark Star: The Loneliness of Being Rajesh Khanna', written by Gautam Chintamani, reveals how Bollywood's first superstar bought the magnificent Aashirwad bungalow. But even during his financial crisis, he refused to sell it. Initially, the property was owned by Rajendra Kumar. He then became a jubilee star of the film industry by living in it. His relative was Ramesh Bahl, and he was making a film named 'The Train' with Rajesh Khanna. Interesting story behind Rajesh Khanna's property One day, Rajesh Khanna was going from Carter Road. When he saw the crowd in front of the bungalow, he asked why there was such a crowd. On this, his driver said that this is Rajendra Kumar's bungalow. That's it, from that day onwards, that bungalow settled in Kakaji's mind. Rajesh Khanna asked Ramesh Bahl to get this bungalow for him somehow. On this, Ramesh Bahl told Rajendra Kumar that there is a lot of noise of vehicles here. People keep coming and going. There is no such thing as privacy; pollution is also very high. There is another bungalow behind this. It is quite big and very peaceful too. In this way, Ramesh Bahl convinced Rajendra Kumar, and then Rajendra Kumar sold that bungalow. Rajesh Khanna took this bungalow from him. Rajesh Khanna named this bungalow Aashirwad. When Rajesh Khanna faced a financial crisis After the sale of this bungalow, Rajendra Kumar's stardom started fading and Rajesh Khanna's started increasing. Seeing this, Rajendra Kumar also felt that along with the bungalow, his luck also went to Rajesh Khanna. Well, it was in 1999, 2000, and 2001 that Mr Khanna faced financial trouble. He got a notice of one crore, one and a quarter crore rupees from Income Tax. When Salman Khan was interested in buying Rajesh Khanna's property Meanwhile, one day Rajesh Khanna got a call from Salman Khan. He asked Rumi Jaffery that he had an important work with Rajesh Khanna. Salman Khan requested Rumi to help him purchase Rajesh Khanna's property. It was Sohail Khan who was interested in buying Rajesh Khanna's property. Sohail heard that Rajesh Khanna was selling his bungalow, and he was interested in buying it. Whatever price Rajesh Khanna quoted, Sohail Khan was ready to purchase it. Sohail assured that there will be no negotiation from his side. When Rajesh Khanna came to know about Sohail Khan's plan on buying Aashirwad Rumi further revealed, 'When Khanna finally spoke, he asked him how he could even think of suggesting such a thing and accused him of stabbing him in his back. 'Kakaji said, 'I consider you a son-in-law aur tu mera ghar bikwana chahta hai… Sadak par lana chahta hai!' I had a tough time explaining that I was merely a postman delivering Sohail Khan's message.'


News18
17 hours ago
- News18
'Mera Ghar Bikwana…': When Rajesh Khanna, In Debt, Refused To Sell His Aashirwad Bungalow To Sohail Khan
Rajesh Khanna faced financial ruin and rumours had it that he was considering to sell his Carter Road bungalow, Aashirwad. Sohail Khan offered to buy it, but Khanna refused. Rajesh Khanna, regarded as one of India's first superstars, saw success like no one. From his stupendous stretch of 17 superhit films, robust fan following and wealth, there was a time when Rajesh Khanna had it all. Unfortunately, his descent was swifter than his ascent. And there came a time in life when the Aradhana actor fell into a massive debt. Talks began that the superstar was planning to sell off one of his most prized possessions – his Carter Road bungalow, Aashirwad. And guess who made an offer to buy it? Salman Khan's younger brother, Sohail Khan. In Rajesh Khanna's biography, Dark Star The Loneliness of Being Rajesh Khanna, penned by Gautam Chintamani and published by Rupa Publications, an excerpt about his financial status back then read: 'For a better part of the early years of the first decade of the new millennium, troubled clouds had taken over almost every small pocket of sunshine in Khanna's life. His financial state went from bad to worse and there were murmurs that he was finally on the lookout to sell Aashirwad. Like most rumours emanating from the world of Hindi cinema, no one knew how real the reports about his house being up for grabs were, but people believed them because Khanna looked troubled. The news that the income tax department had slapped a notice for arrears of over a crore and a half rupees on him finally made it all too true." That's when screenwriter Rumi Jaffery remembered that Salman Khan was one of the firsts to call him and say that Sohail Khan was interested in buying Aashirwad. 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'That day's newspapers carried an IT department notice regarding an auction of Aashirwad and Khanna was all but broken. Bakshi knew Vinay Kumar Sinha, a former IT officer who later joined Abdul Gaffar Nadiadwala's production house and went on to produce Andaz Apna Apna (1994). He asked Khanna if he wanted him to seek some advice on the matter. 'He just nodded his head and said, 'Gal kar…'", he said. Who were the past owners of Rajesh Khanna's 'haunted house'? Carter Road, where Aashirwad was located, was largely home to Parsi and Anglo-Indian families. They sold off the house to Rajendra Kumar, who named the bungalow after his daughter, Dimple. The house was infamous for granting beginners luck, only to rob them of it later. In fact, Rajendra Kumar's career grew after he moved into the house, and he got the nickname 'Jubilee Kumar.' Soon after, he faced a string of flops. The house then went to Rajesh Khanna, who bought for it Rs 3.5 lakh, and changed its name from 'Dimple' to 'Aashirwad.' However, Khanna, too, met the same fate as Kumar. His stardom began to fade and the-then superstar faced insurmountable financial losses. However, he refused to sell it and lived there until his passing in 2012. An industrialist bought Rajesh Khanna's Aashirwad in 2014 and had it demolished two years later – along with it, a golden era of history was buried beneath a pile of debris. First Published: July 21, 2025, 17:55 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


India.com
2 days ago
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This actor once called Rajesh Khanna an average actor, claimed that Amitabh Bachchan never did any great films, his name is...
There are many senior actors in Bollywood who are considered examples for all the newcomers out there. These actors are some of the finest stars in the industry and are also called veterans. Similarly, an actor who is now regarded as a veteran star once took a jibe at Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan. He called Rajesh an 'average star' and claimed that Amitabh Bachchan never did good movies. Yes, you read that right! Scroll down to know the name of this actor. Actor Who Criticised Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna This actor started his career in 1973 with Shyam Benegal's film Nishant, in which Shabana Azmi played the lead role alongside him. If you are wondering who we are talking about, this actor is none other than Naseeruddin Shah. After his debut, Naseeruddin Shah went on to do many movies, including Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, Masoom, Aakrosh, Ijaazat, Ardh Satya, Sarfarosh, Ishqiya, and A Wednesday. All these films left a lasting impact on audiences. Whether it was the role of a sensitive father in Masoom, a terrorist poet in Sarfarosh, a photographer in Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, or a common man in A Wednesday, Naseeruddin brought life to every role. Be it action, romance, drama, or comedy, he left his mark in every genre. Naseeruddin Shah Criticised Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna In an interview in 2010, he questioned Amitabh Bachchan's filmography and said that Amitabh had not done any great film. He also described the classic Sholay as just entertaining, not great. Similarly, in 2016, he termed Rajesh Khanna an 'average actor' and said that the 70s was an average era of Hindi cinema, and despite Rajesh Khanna's success, his acting ability was limited. However, after criticism from Rajesh Khanna's daughter, Twinkle Khanna, he apologized for this comment.