One of the most trending topics in the Indian movie industry is the question as to who will be the next Shaktimaan. Actor Mukesh Khanna has been very critical of most major Hindi movie actors when it comes to playing this role. He stated that most Bollywood actors do not have values that are good enough to make them suitable enough for this role.
However, he has stated the name of one actor who might possibly be a good candidate in this case. And you will be surprised to know that this is not a major Hindi movie celebrity at all. In fact, this is none other than actor Allu Arjun who is a great superstar of Telugu cinema.
Are you someone from India who grew up during the 1990s and early 2000s? If yes, then you must have watched the television series “Shaktimaan” on Doordarshan. In fact, almost every millennial and older Gen Z individuals of this country know that Shaktimaan is India’s answer to most DC and Marvel superhero characters. But now the casting for this character might be a bit different. So let us see how this can look like.
What Has Mukesh Khanna Done Regarding The Shaktimaan Casting?
Mukesh Khanna has always been passionate about every project that he has been involved in. And this, of course, includes the television series “Shaktimaan” which he not only acted in as the main protagonist but also produced under his own production house’s name. The series was a massive hit during the late 90s and early 2000s. However, like all good shows, it also had to end as well.
But now, after so many years, Mukesh Khanna wants to revive this character with a completely fresh take on it. Mr. Khanna wants to revive this character with a new project in the form of a movie. As per, Mr. Khanna’s statements, today’s children need to learn good values through means of entertainment. Because of this he himself made a comeback as the character in a short movie where he was seen teaching children.
However, he is not very satisfied with the potential castings that he is seeing from both producers and fans. For example, actor Ranveer Singh wanted to play this role and was willing to meet Mr. Khanna but the latter rejected him after making him sit for hours at his office. Mukesh Khanna said that Ranveer Singh does not have a good image as a man with moral values and has done clownish things and is probably a drug addict which does not make him fit for the role.
In fact, Mr. Khanna said that almost every Bollywood actor, young or old in the current times are not morally capable enough as people who can handle such a role. This shows that Mr. Khanna is not only looking for someone with good acting skills but also a person who has a good reputation in real life as well. And this is where Allu Arjun’s casting potential comes into play.
Why Mukesh Khanna Wants to Choose Allu Arjun?
Mukesh Khanna had previously said that he is not necessarily going to stick to Bollywood actors only for the upcoming “Shaktimaan” movie. In fact, he wants to choose actors from regional cinema as well. After the success of “Pushpa 2” Allu Arjun has been a major star who has reached fame not just in the Telugu movie industry but also all over India and even in other countries as well.
Mr. Khanna has seen Allu’s performance and he said that the latter is indeed a great actor who can give competition to most people working in the Hindi movie industry. Allu Arjun’s reputation in real life is also quite good. In fact, his recent arrest regarding a movie theatre stampede has been proven to be something that he is not responsible for. He is also known for interacting with fans quite well and gets along with everyone in a friendly way.
Because of such reasons, and Mr. Allu’s incredible physique and looks, Mukesh Khanna said that he might be one of the very few actors capable of becoming the next Shaktimaan onscreen.
However, he has also condemned the makers of “Pushpa 2” by saying how they had glorified dacoits and smugglers in the movie and made Allu Arjun play such a role. In fact, he said that Allu should be given better movies which aim to teach good values such as his movie “Na Peru Surya Na Illu India” which released in 2018 and showed people how to deal with mental stress and anger using real world psychology theories. Because of Allu Arjun’s reputation of starring in such movies which are filled with action and drama while sometimes being educational, Mukesh Khanna says that he can be a good fit to be Shaktimaan.
Final Notes
If Allu Arjun indeed does become Shaktimaan then this will be his first Hindi movie debut. However, Mukhesh Khanna does not have the rights to actually cast anyone and can only give references of potential candidates. This is mainly because the casting rights belong to Sony which will produce this movie.
As of now, it has not been confirmed as to whether Allu Arjun will play this role or not. It is not even confirmed if this movie will be made in the first place. So only time will tell if this casting choice will happen in reality.
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