At a recent press conference, Mukesh Khanna addressed rumours about making Ranveer Singh wait at his office to discuss the role of Shaktimaan.
In response, Khanna clarified, “
No. I didn’t force him to wait. He sat for three hours because he wanted to. He came to my office. We enjoyed each other’s company. He’s a terrific actor, he has terrific energy. But I decide who plays Shaktimaan. Producers cast actors; an actor can’t cast a producer. You come to my office and say that you want to be Shaktimaan, it’s not allowed!”
Khanna went on to share his thoughts on what it takes to portray Shaktimaan, questioning the assumption that only a big name can take on the role.
“You’ll say that there needs to be a big name playing Shaktimaan, but that’s not true. To play Shaktimaan, you need to have a face for it. Tell me, why didn’t Akshay Kumar make for a convincing Prithviraj Chauhan? He wore a wig and a fake moustache,”
said Mukesh Khanna.
The veteran actor later posted a statement on X to clarify misconceptions from his remarks, emphasizing that he is not trying to reclaim the role but reasserting his identity as the original Shaktimaan.
“I have come to clarify a misconception which a section of my viewers are started having that through this song and press conference I had come to declare to the world that I will be the next Shaktimaan. Totally wrong. Let me explain,”
he stated.
Khanna continued,
“Firstly why should I say I will be the next Shaktimaan. I am already the Shaktimaan. There would be another Shaktimaan only when there is a Shaktimaan. And I am that Shaktimaan. Without me there cannot be another Shaktimaan. Since as Shaktimaan I have to create the Legacy of Shaktimaan. Secondly I have not come to prove or show that I am better than Ranveer Singh or anyone who will wear the mantle of Shaktimaan.”
Mukesh Khanna’s disapproval of Ranveer Singh playing Shaktimaan isn’t new. The veteran actor previously stated that while Ranveer is a brilliant actor, he is not suited for the role.
On the work front, Ranveer Singh was most recently seen in Singham Again, which also stars Deepika Padukone, Ajay Devgn, and Kareena Kapoor Khan.
