'It was a spinal injury; doctor advised inserting a bolt in my back': Mohanlal recalls discovering Osho

Thiruvananthapuram: Actor Mohanlal has opened up about a deeply transformative phase in his life, crediting the teachings of spiritual leader Osho Rajneesh for helping him navigate a personal and physical crisis more than three decades ago.

In a write-up in Mathrubhumi Daily’s weekend supplement, the veteran actor, reflecting on an early phase of his film career, recounted suffering from intense back pain that left him physically and mentally disturbed.

"It was three and a half decades ago. I was just beginning to find my footing in cinema. I developed severe back pain and consulted a renowned doctor in Madras. He diagnosed it as an injury to the spine. He said it could be fixed by inserting a bolt into the spine. That thought deeply disturbed me. It involved interference in one of the most vital and delicate parts of the body. When I refused, the doctor warned me: “Lal, if you don’t do this now, you’ll have to return in six months in an even worse condition.” Even then, I didn’t agree. I was scared to give consent. I was confused, not knowing what decision to make," he writes.

It was then that he met legendary singer KJ Yesudas, who advised him to explore Ayurvedic treatment. “Dasettan recommended me to Arya Vaidya Pharmacy in Coimbatore. P.V. Rama Varier and P.R. Krishnakumar are there. He said he would call them and let them know.

"The treatment lasted over forty days in two phases — it was a slightly intense therapy. I was told not to read anything, not to walk or sit for long; after eating, I had to lie down with my eyes closed. Every day, Varier Sir would come, and so would the Managing Director, P.R. Krishnakumar. After they left, I would be alone in the room," he writes.

"Lying alone, my mind would be filled with thoughts — about the illness, about the future, about life ahead... countless unanswered questions kept rising within me. One day, Krishnakumarji came with a cassette in hand and said, "Lal, listen to this." It was a speech by Osho Rajneesh on some subject. Listening to that speech in solitude, lying with my eyes closed, I felt as if a new dawn had broken within me. In the days that followed, I listened to many of Osho’s talks on different topics, and gradually, many of the questions in my mind began to find answers."

(Excerpt from Mohanlal’s write-up published in Mathrubhumi Daily’s weekend supplement: Read Here)