'Shaktimaan': Mukesh Khanna's rejection of Ranveer a 'publicity gimmick'?
What's the story
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw the rise of Shaktimaan, a beloved superhero character played by Mukesh Khanna on television. In 2022, when a film adaptation was announced, fans were curious about who would play the lead role. Ranveer Singh's name came up, but Khanna has vehemently opposed it. Now Lalit Parimoo, who starred in the original show with Khanna, has hinted that his comments could be a publicity stunt.
Publicity speculation
Parimoo's cryptic jibe at Khanna
During a recent podcast with Siddharth Kannan, Parimoo was asked about Khanna's claim that Singh had tried to convince him for three hours to let him play Shaktimaan. He said, "I don't want to say anything against Mukesh ji. It's up to him what he has to do." "Aaj ka zamana publicity ka zamana hai...log karte hain publicity gimmicks filmon ke liye. Jaan booj ke news banane ke liye kuch karna padta hai. I think he's playing on those lines."
Performance appraisal
Will the 'Shaktimaan' film live up to expectations?
Parimoo also praised Singh's performance in Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar. However, he expressed doubts about the upcoming Shaktimaan film matching the magic of the original TV show. He said, "There's so much material that has already gone into those 350 episodes." "If today's generation sees a superhero movie, they will expect only an international standard. Below that, they won't like it. If we don't make it on a technologically high level, it won't have the same impact," he added.
Casting controversy
What did Khanna say about Singh?
In a previous interview with Bollywood Thikana, Khanna had said that Singh had come to his office and tried to convince him for the role. He said, "That poor guy (Ranveer Singh) was sitting in front of me for three hours." "But it doesn't reflect on his face what it needs to play Shaktimaan. He looks fickle as if he will con somebody, but he is a terrific actor," he said.
Film announcement
Updates on 'Shaktimaan' movie
In 2022, Sony Pictures announced Shaktimaan The Film, a trilogy. The announcement video said, "After the super success of our many superhero films in India and all over the globe, it's time for our desi Superhero!" Meanwhile, amid rumors that Allu Arjun could take on the role, director Basil Joseph told Bollywood Hungama in 2025, "Shaktimaan will be made only with Ranveer Singh." However, there are no recent updates on the project.