When asked about the expectations from Shaktimaan, Mukesh “To be honest, when I saw the scale of the project, I was a little intimidated. I am not someone who says ‘I can do it too’. I wondered if I could pull off 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. From writing the script to creating the music, every aspect required meticulous attention.”
“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. But I am Shaktimaan; I have played this character for 40 years. How could they do this without my involvement? I have made Shaktimaan a disco drama. How can I approach it differently?” he continued.
‘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 and 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.”
Earlier, veteran actor Kalki had criticised the makers of 2898 AD for distorting the facts of Mahabharat for convenience in a well-made and grandiose film. He stated that Arjun and Bhim removed the jewel from Ashwatthama’s forehead and gave it to Draupadi, whose five sons Ashwatthama had killed by sneaking into their tent in the dark of night. “So how did the jewel get back to Ashwatthama?” he asked.
Kalki 2898 AD was a huge success, grossing more than Rs 600 crore worldwide in its first week. Made on a whopping budget of Rs 600-700 crore, the film continues to attract audiences worldwide.
