Ranveer Singh and Mukesh Khanna As Shaktimaan
For anyone who grew up in the ’90s, Shaktimaan wasn’t just a TV show—it was THE superhero of your childhood. So, naturally, when talk of a big-screen comeback started swirling, fans were hyped.
But now? The whole thing’s stalled. Mukesh Khanna, the OG Shaktimaan himself, says the film trilogy has hit a wall—something about “technical grounds” and, honestly, a whole lot of drama around who should play the lead.
In an interview with Galatta India, Khanna broke it down: Sony International owns the movie rights for seven years, but he’s made damn sure Shaktimaan’s core values can’t be messed with. “The IPR is still mine,” he said.
He’s got it in writing that the soul of Shaktimaan stays the same. No weird plot twists to turn him into something he’s not.
Here’s where it gets messy. Khanna says he has zero real power over who ends up wearing the suit. “I couldn’t get it in writing that they’d need my permission to cast the actor,” he admitted. The studio’s like, “Yeah, we’ll ask for your opinion, but the final call is ours.”
Khanna’s not backing down on what matters, though. “If you make Shaktimaan dance in a disco and I say I hate it, you’ll do it anyway. So what’s the point of asking me?” he said, straight up. He’s not willing to let the character get twisted out of shape just because it’s a movie now.
Right now, everything’s stuck. The film’s pre-production is totally frozen—mainly because nobody can agree on casting. “Either change the clause or ask me. Without my input, you can’t just do whatever with Shaktimaan,” he insisted. The whole thing’s in limbo, and fans are still waiting for any real announcement.
This isn’t a small project, either. We’re talking three films, each with a monster budget—like, Rs 150–200 crore per film. Khanna isn’t budging. “You can’t cast someone who looks like Raavan to play Ram. Today’s kids need Shaktimaan. Honestly, even I don’t know when the movie’s happening,” he said.
Oh, and about those rumors? Yes, Ranveer Singh did meet with Mukesh Khanna. They talked for three hours, and Khanna even called him a great actor and a good guy. But in the end, he’s just not convinced Ranveer’s right for the role. “I’m still stubborn about that,” he said.
Mukesh Khanna’s even ready to take the fight to court if it comes to that. “If you won’t listen to me, go make Shaktimaan without me. I’ll fight as long as I can. I’ll take them to court if I have to,” he said. He even admitted he can’t release the old Shaktimaan songs or music anymore because he accidentally sold those rights years ago.
A quick rewind—Shaktimaan was India’s first real superhero show, airing on Doordarshan from 1997 to 2005. Mukesh Khanna created and starred as Pandit Gangadhar, a humble photographer who gains mystical powers through deep meditation and his connection to the five elements. He used those powers to battle evil, especially Tamraj Kilvish, all while keeping his identity a secret.
The show ran for nearly 450 episodes, teaching kids about good versus evil—and, honestly, the action and moral lessons were pretty legendary.
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