When asked about the expectations surrounding Shaktimaan, Mukesh responded, “To be honest, I felt a bit intimidated when I saw the scale of the project. I am not someone who can confidently say, ‘I can do it too.’ I wondered if I could handle something of this magnitude. Such projects require immense effort and a dedicated team. The teams behind films like Avatar and Baahubali consisted of thousands of hardworking individuals. Each aspect, from storyboarding to scoring, requires meticulous attention.”
He continued, “I wish I could bring the same level of dedication and resources to Shaktimaan. What Sony and I will create together remains to be seen. However, I am Shaktimaan; I have embodied this character for 40 years. How can they make it without my involvement? I have transformed Shaktimaan into a disco drama. How can I approach this differently?”
‘KALKI 2898 AD’: Public Verdict on Prabhas, Deepika, and Amitabh Bachchan’s Magnum Opus
In an Instagram post, Mukesh Khanna wrote, “Will ‘SHAKTIMAAN’ be better than ‘KALKI’? It can be and it will be. They had the South Indian film industry behind them. We have SONY International behind us. Kalki is the story of tomorrow. Shaktimaan is the story of today and forever. The present is more powerful than the future because it is in our hands.”
Previously, the veteran actor criticized the makers of Kalki 2898 AD for distorting the facts of the Mahabharat for convenience in a well-made and grand film. He pointed out that Arjun and Bhim had removed the gem from Ashwatthama’s forehead and given it to Draupadi, whose five sons Ashwatthama had killed by sneaking into their tent in the dark of night. “So how did the gem end up back with Ashwatthama?” he questioned.
Kalki 2898 AD has been a massive success, grossing over Rs 600 crore globally within its first week. Mounted on a big budget of Rs 600-700 crore, the film continues to attract audiences worldwide.
