<img title="Vinod Khanna" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/apr/29-khanna-vinod.jpg" alt="Vinod Khanna" /> Vinod Khanna
When filmmaker Kailash Surendranath steps on to the badminton court at Malabar Hill Club, post the weekend whirl, the feeling will be like a piece of the jigsaw is missing.
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For more than two decades, Surendranath has been part of a group playing badminton with actor <a href="http://www.mid-day.com/photos/photos-remembering-vinod-khanna-through-a-series-of-vintage-images/6178" target="_blank">Vinod Khanna</a> at the SoBo club.
"Evenings equalled badminton at Malabar Hill Club," says Surendranath with a sad smile. The pain is still raw as he speaks from his office in Tardeo, a day after Khanna's funeral.
Years of association The filmmaker says his association with the actor spans years, the daily badminton bouts only cementing boyhood idolatry that transformed into friendship.
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Says Surendranath, "We all were South Mumbai boys. Pramod, Vinod's brother, was my classmate from kindergarten. I have known Vinod since then. Saw him as a handsome young man in college, much sought after, there was some boyish idol worship, and then of course, friendship. We went to the same clubs, met at the same parties; the social circuit was common."
<img title="Badminton buddies Ram Gandhi, K Surendranath and Vinod Khanna watch a polo match at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse. File Pic" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/apr/29-khanna-vinod-2.jpg" alt="Badminton buddies Ram Gandhi, K Surendranath and Vinod Khanna watch a polo match at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse. File Pic" /> Badminton buddies Ram Gandhi, K Surendranath and Vinod Khanna watch a polo match at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse. File Pic
Just Vinod Surendranath says the badminton court "was the great equaliser". "On the court, there was none of Vinod the Bollywood star, he was just Vinod. We have a core group of six or seven players, which included Vinod, that played the game nearly every day, but there was a bigger group too, of kids, young men and women, all of whom played in the evenings," adds Surendranath.
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The court rang out with typical banter, which is the hallmark of friendly, sporting competition. Surendranath laughs, "There is so much good-natured ribbing, a little cheating, disputed line calls, all in fun; we would begin by 7 pm and play till 9 pm, till the court closed." And as the sweat rolled off foreheads, so did work stress. "It was a time when all of us, including Vinod, became children again. Vinod, of course, was such a fit man; I would say his strength was shuttle placement. He was so alert, always thinking during the game, an intellectual who could play all sports. I used to tell him, you should be the sports minister. His fitness was one reason why his illness came as such a shock to us," he says.
<img title="The Malabar Hill Club was like a second home to the actor" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/apr/29-khanna-vinod-1.jpg" alt="The Malabar Hill Club was like a second home to the actor" /> The Malabar Hill Club was like a second home to the actor
Special bond Surendranath said Khanna and he shared a special bond. "We understood each other well, because, like Vinod, I too had become a sanyasi, following Osho for a period in my life. That Osho influence stayed with me, like it did for Vinod. I knew that Vinod, after all of what had happened to him, was quintessentially on a journey to find himself."
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Now, Surendranath adds, "We may have an evening on the badminton court, dedicated to him." All his badminton buddies are planning to play a game at Malabar Hill Club, in a sporty tribute. "We'll do that sooner, than later," says Surendranath, signing off with a simple, "Because I know Vinod would have liked that."
Palpable void The Malabar Hill Club's wooden court will resonate with shouts and line calls. Yet, the void of the most famous face at those wooden courts will be palpable for his 'baddie buddies'. On the big screen, where his good looks could be so compelling, or on a wooden court, where the sporty sanyasi would place the shuttle tantalisingly out of reach, Khanna had the dexterity to deliver the good shot.

Filmmaker Kailash Surendranath, who has been part of a group playing badminton with actor Vinod Khanna at the Malabar Hill Club remembers Vinod Khanna's&nbsp;shuttling prowess and camaraderie

Vinod Khanna's badminton buddy remembers the late actor

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Filmmaker Kailash Surendranath, who has been part of a group playing badminton with actor Vinod Khanna at the Malabar Hill Club remembers Vinod Khanna's&nbsp;shuttling prowess and camaraderie

Vinod Khanna's badminton buddy remembers the late actor

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Vinod Khanna's badminton buddy remembers the late actor

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