Sorry Shaktimaan!

“Would you like to talk to Mukesh Khanna? He is here only. I can manage a small informal discussion with you, only if you can come over here,” Chief Coordinator of Nagpur International Film Festival Sameer Nafde was too formal while asking me to meet the chief guest for festival’s concluding eve. In fact, I was planning for the same interaction since the day I learned that Mukesh Khanna was to grace the concluding function.

A schoolboy in me was eager to meet my beloved Shaktimaan. The performing artist in me was excited to meet the man who did best justice to the epic role of ‘Bhishma Pitamaha’ with an incredible depth of his voice and aptness of pronunciation. Journalist in me was keen to meet the actor gutsy enough to say straight ‘no’ to the offer given by the ‘Queen’ of entertainment television Ekta Kapoor, predicting perfectly that her glamour-play with ‘Mahabharat’ will be a biggest failure in her career. Creative writer in me was charged-up to meet the man who understands language like a littérateur and reads people like a poet. The Indian in me was feeling proud to meet the man who stood up firmly in support of nationalistic issues time to time. And human being in me was hurrying to meet the man who is learned as well as experienced; modern, still traditional; straight forward yet polite; and celebrity, but a common man. Well, Mukesh Khanna gave me much more than what I was expecting.

“There is nothing like a formula of success. But, search for novelty, and insistence for quality satisfies the creative person and this satisfaction itself pulls the audience towards you,” Mukesh Khanna speaks affluent Hindi with a resonating base in his voice. Without microphone placed around, one could hear him vividly amongst the ten other sounds. This must be the reason why producers selected no one but Mukesh Khanna as a voice of Lord Hanuman in the animation film. ‘Hanuman’ was amongst India’s first few animation attempts, quite new at that time for the industry. But, Mukesh Khanna has always preferred the innovations. Just for the love for newness, he became an integral part of ‘Mahabharat’, B R Chopra’s initial attempt to bring mythology on small screen. When this mythology became very common on TV, he tried hand in a completely untouched field. He created India’s first ever Super-hero - Shaktimaan. And for the same newness, he has just produced a Marathi movie in memory of legendary Dada Kondke.

Mukesh Khanna welcomes supports and tries new things as he believes that people love them. The only point he stresses upon is that one should not defy the traditional values while going for new things. “I was told by authorities of Balaji Telefilms that they are making a realistic Mahabharata, in which Kings would not wear crowns at the warfront, and royal women will not wear heavy ornaments and diamonds. I asked them not to play with the traditional concepts of mythology. Their show became a period fashion show as they used models, and not actors,” Khanna, who refused to play the role of King Shantanu in Balaji’s flop show ‘Kahani Hamare Mahabharat ki’, says. He still recalls the dialogues in B R Chopra’s ‘Mahabharata’ in which he played the role of his life – Bhishm Pitamaha. “Master writers, academic researchers and studied director are basic needs to ensure authenticity of the mythological series. I think, this is our heritage and we should not compromise with its authenticity just for the sake of cheap TRP,” he says while criticizing the current trend on various TV channels to stretch the role particular character unnecessarily just to cash in the TRP.

Basically, Khanna seems to be a man of principles. He cares a lot for his image, and a less for money. He never ever played a negative role even after repeated offers, just because he wants to nurture his positive image. He taught philosophy as Bhishma, taught values as Shaktimaan; and he just do not want to leave even a pinch of bad influence for his audience. “This may be a fault in me. As an actor, I must explore other facets of my personality, too. But, I just can’t do a complete negative role. I feel as if I am doing injustice to a good number of people, who admire me for my positive roles,” says a profound religious man; who neither drinks nor smokes. “My super-hero Shaktimaan was more like a value educator for the kids. It taught small but important values to one generation. If a small actor like me can leave such a huge influence, legends like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan can bring revolutions. But, unfortunately, they act for the sake of acting only, and not for the bigger cause of social upliftment,” he is straight-forward enough to mention that SRK’s home production ‘Ra-One’ may be a huge project, but it has little values to serve.

Mukesh Khanna has a dream to make a film on ‘Shaktimaan’. He admits that he is facing resource crisis for it. One may suggest him to join active politics (he is already a BJP campaigner) and become MP to end this fund-crunch one for an all. He smiles. “BJP had offered me a ticket from Chandni Chowk seat even before Smruti Irani. I politely refused. Because I believe, an active politician should be available for his people for all the time,” once again speak his principles. “Actors join politics. They get elected because of their popularity. Once elected, they didn’t even visit their constituency for months and years together. This invites public wrath. I can’t afford it at any cost. Once I will feel that I can give ample time to people, I will go for elections. But not in near future,” he explains. Khanna mentions names like NTR and MGR, legendary actor-turn-politicians, who quit acting before joining politics. He also speaks of Rajinikanth, whose popularity is far more than any other politician, but, who is still away from electoral politics just because he has lots of things to do in acting. Mukesh Khanna, too, dreaming for many new things in his core field – acting.

But, time is different for him now, as there is no Shaktimaan revolving in the skies. Nowadays, he can move freely, even unnoticed many times; unlike some six years back when he used to be surrounded by hundreds of children and their parents wherever he used to go. However, a thinker, a lawyer and a student of English Literature; he finds no difference in being popular or not so popular. “I keep doing my work. This is how life goes on,” he smiles having a sip from a plastic cup of canteen tea. Shockingly, I realize that I had refused the same tea just a few minutes ago, thinking that it wouldn’t look good to have tea in a disposable cup before the celebrity. “That boy offered the tea with a recognizable smile. I couldn’t say no to him,” when Mukesh Khanna says, one realizes that Shaktimaan is still well within him.

“Sorry Shaktimaan!” the candid confession appears from a school kid in me.