Mukesh Khanna Rejects Ranveer Singh As Shaktimaan Due To His ‘Mischievous Face’: He Can Play Villain Kilvish

Mukesh Khanna is refusing to compromise on his vision for Shaktimaan, even if it means walking away from crores. The actor has revealed that he stopped a cheque worth crores after disagreeing with the conditions surrounding the planned big-screen adaptation. Khanna has also once again voiced his opposition to Ranveer Singh playing the titular superhero, despite praising the actor’s energy and acting abilities. According to Khanna, Ranveer’s image and facial persona do not suit the positivity required for Shaktimaan. Interestingly, he believes the actor could still feature in the film as Kilvish, the iconic villain, drawing comparisons with Ranveer’s performance as Alauddin Khilji in Padmaavat.

Mukesh Khanna has opened up about his ongoing concerns over the planned Shaktimaan film, making it clear that he is unwilling to compromise on how the iconic superhero is presented on the big screen. In an interview with Subhojit Ghosh, the actor responded to those who believe he should move on from the character and allow the filmmakers to take the story forward. “Why should I move on? I have made Shaktimaan,” Mukesh Khanna said.

The actor also revealed that he has blocked Sony India and Sony International from proceeding without his approval. According to Khanna, he had already received one payment but stopped the subsequent cheque after the makers presented conditions that he felt were different from the original agreement “No doubt, commercially, I am behaving like a stupid person. I have held back a cheque worth crores, not lakhs, crores,” he said.

Khanna revealed that even people in his own office advised him to accept the money and address the disagreement later. However, he maintained that his principles were more important than the financial gain. The actor is also concerned that the character could be altered significantly to suit contemporary filmmaking trends. He expressed apprehension about changes that could affect the essence of Shaktimaan. “Tomorrow, you’ll show him dancing in a disco. Tomorrow, you’ll make him do something else…” he said.

Mukesh Khanna has also reiterated his reservations about Ranveer Singh being considered for the titular superhero.

Khanna clarified that his objection is not about Ranveer’s acting talent. He recalled meeting the actor and praised his energy, revealing that Ranveer spent nearly three hours at his office trying to convince him to cast him as Shaktimaan.

According to Khanna, Ranveer was extremely enthusiastic during their conversation and even sat on the floor while discussing his career. The veteran actor compared his energy to that of the late Dev Anand.

However, Khanna believes that   requires a particular kind of screen image and personality. “Ranveer Singh can play Dhurandhar, Gully Boy, Khilji but not Shaktimaan,” he said. “For that, we need the right image and face, something he doesn’t have. He has a mischievous face, a scheming face. Shaktimaan has to be very positive, very positive.” While Mukesh Khanna does not see Ranveer Singh as the right choice for Shaktimaan, he believes the actor could still have a role in the film.

Khanna had suggested  for the role of Kilvish, the villain associated with Shaktimaan. He drew a parallel with Ranveer’s portrayal of Alauddin Khilji in Padmaavat, suggesting that the actor’s ability to portray darker and more intense characters could work in his favour. The comments come amid continued uncertainty surrounding the big-screen adaptation of Shaktimaan, which was announced in 2022 and had previously been linked to Ranveer Singh.

Khanna also addressed his earlier comments about Allu Arjun as a potential Shaktimaan. He clarified that although he had spoken positively about the South Indian star as someone who could potentially suit the superhero, he had never actually offered him the role. For Khanna, the central issue remains the portrayal of Shaktimaan and whether the eventual film can preserve the character’s positive identity while transitioning from television to the big screen.