Mehra was close to the actress Rekha during the mid-70s. Indeed, they were widely believed to have married each other, but in a 2004 television interview with Simi Garewal, Rekha denied having ever been married to him, and referred to him affectionately as a "well-wisher." Mehra's first marriage to Meena Broca was arranged by his mother. The marriage was reportedly not consummated as Vinod had a heart attack shortly after the marriage. Once he recovered, he eloped with frequent leading lady of the time, Bindiya Goswami. Meena was left with no choice but to file for divorce. Mehra's relationship with Bindiya unraveled very quickly, and she soon left him to marry director J. P. Dutta. In 1988, Mehra married Kiran, daughter of a Kenya-based transport businessman. The marriage lasted until his death two years later and produced two children: a daughter named Soniya (born in 1988) and a son named Rohan (born posthumously). Mehra died of a heart attack on 30 October 1990. He was only 45 years of age.