Mukesh Khanna: Ekta Kapoor made a mockery of Mahabharata

Be it the booming voice of Bhishma Pitamah of 'Mahabharata' or playfully chiding the kids to be good on his serial - Shaktimaan, Mukesh Khanna has been the idol of almost two generations worshiping him for different reasons. On his way to Hazaribagh for a private engagement, Mukesh Khanna spared some time to have a tete-a-tete with Ranchi Times recently, talking about the things he love most.
Have you been to Ranchi before?
I have been to every corner of India as an actor and while campaigning for BJP over the years.Ranchi has developed a lot over the years but still has a long way to go to become as developed as say Gujarat or Punjab.
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Had you thought that Mahabharata would turn out to be an epic that it became when you first associated with it?
Though people generally refrain from keeping Mahabharata in their homes saying ki Mahabharat rakhenge to ghar me ladai hogi. Interestingly, we had these two huge volumes of Mahabharata at my home which I used to read as a child. Though the main reason of my fascination was the vivid description of battles given in the book, along with the illustrations, I was still very much into it, reading it over and over. Hence when I got a call from BR Chopra asking if I was interested in working in serial, I immediately said yes. Mahabharata is such an epic work that it was destined to create history. Aur meri kismat mein tha ayushman bhava bona isliye mujhe Bhishma ka role mila.
Do you follow the latest take on Mahabharat, currently on air?
I tried watching them but the way they keep twisting the plot, stuffing tales unheard of selling that in the name of creativity is something I find disgusting. They make a serial on Maharana Pratap and keep showing the exploits of young Maharana for years. Same goes for Rani Laxmibai. When Ekta made Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki, I found it so horrendous that I had decided to take her to court. The way she made a mockery of Mahabharata was absolutely incomprehensible. Can you do that with the sacred texts of religions other than Hinduism? I think not.
Moving over Bhishma, you’re also credited as India’s first superhero - Shaktimaan on the TV screen. Did you ever thought that you’ll be able to break out of Bhishma’s image?
Shaktimaan happened for precisely this reason only. After Bhishma, everyone started offering me roles of a patriarch with flowing beard like that of Bhishma. I became on screen father of so many actors, all of a sudden. It funny as well as irritating at the same time, more so, because of the flowing beard I had to paste on my face. One day, I was sitting with a few friends when one of them told me that it would be impossible for me break out of Bhishma’s mold. Somehow, that statement pinched me. I thought I can do these roles 10 years later as well. It was then that I and Dinkar Jani started working on Shaktimaan. I’m happy that both the characters remain etched on the minds of two different generations. Badon ke liye Bhishma pitamah or bachchon ke liye Shaktimaan.. (laughs)
The kind of success you have enjoyed on TV and likes of Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha enjoyed on silver screen is something that every actor aspires for.
I think its all about luck. I consider myself lucky that while I was casted to play Dronacharya, I got to play Bhishma in Mahabharata. Shaktimaan became a huge success later on. Amitabh Bachchan is also lucky that regard, or any successful actor for that matter. Abhishek has not even reached half that mark his father covered.
What’s happening on Shaktimaan 2.0 front?
We are still working on the script and the producers. Though Doordarshan has agreed to telecast the show, we are also looking for some private channels to show interest in the serial.
Any plans to join active politics?
I can campaign for my preferred candidates, I will never join active politics as I can’t ask people to vote for myself. I absolutely hate this idea of asking something from people who see me as an epitome of sacrifice.
While Marvel and DC comics characters are reaping moolah on box office with their screen avatars, Bollywood has largely turned blind eye to dozens of Indian comic characters. Why so?
People in Bollywood like to work on the safe side. They’ll never attempt something which they don’t own the rights of and something which risks their investment. Moreover, all over movies basically cater to the grown ups and not the kids. I say make movies for kids and they’ll pull their family along to the theatres.
Watch: Mukesh Khanna talks about his journey in the TV industry