BENGALURU: This week brought us news of the return of Shaktimaan – India’s original superhero. There have been attempts to revive the supreme yogic hero, but what shocked me was that the original actor, Mukesh Khanna, will play him.
Currently, the same age as Prince Charles, pictures of the character triggered memories that had remained locked deep inside me. Who are these people asking for a Shaktimaan reboot? What are their demands? I request the Central Government to meet them and agree to their needs immediately. Fans of the superhero are now in their 30s, fighting off real-life villains like Chinese lenders and impromptu hair loss.
If you’re a Gen Z person somehow miraculously reading this column, here is some context: Every generation has a dark secret buried deep within themselves. My generation’s dark secret is that we were fans of Shaktimaan. Spider-Man and Iron Man were still a few decades away from the Indian subcontinent.
Shaktimaan played on Doordarshan, at the hallowed Sunday 12pm slot – usually reserved for mythological shows like Ramayana and Mahabharata. Shaktimaan seemed like a relatable superhero. He had a paunch and the vibe of a preachy middle-aged uncle, asking kids to switch off lights and fans before leaving the room. Indian kids went nuts.
The costume was popular too. In every school, you could find little Shaktimaans walking around after assembly. Unfortunately, some kids started jumping off their balconies hoping for Shaktimaan to save them. Shaktimaan, of course, had no drying ducks to give about breaking the fourth wall and told the audience that it was all graphics.
But will Shaktimaan adapt to today’s times? Originally, the communication was one way-with Shaktimaan doling out the advice. Shaktimaan is not used to comments, memes, and reels. How will Gangaputra adjust to the Shakuni comments that will flood him today? Shaktimaan didn’t have much in terms of a back story. He was shown to be born from the blessings of seven rishis.But today, Shaktimaan will need a new alibi. Gangadhar was a reporter, but the profession has been besmirched. If Shaktimaan steps out as Gangadhar, crowds will probably hound him with slogans of ‘Go back, Presstitute!’
Along with a new alibi, Shaktimaan will also need a new supervillain. When Tamraj Kilvish said ‘Andhera kayam rahe’ (May darkness prevail) – it was scary because we assumed he meant an extended powercut. But today’s villains deal with intergalactic issues and inter-terrestrial conflicts. Shaktimaan often dealt with comparatively cute villains like Kekda Man and Machhar Man.
If he is arriving on OTT platforms, Shaktimaan’s real villains will be social media, dwindling attention spans, and our friends in the mature content industry. Then there’s the tricky issue of the love interest. The earlier version of Shaktimaan had Geeta – who looked like a kind English teacher. But for an actor who is as old as Nitin Gadkari, finding a love interest will be a challenge. Of course, it is not in my place to give suggestions to the ‘Uttam Yogi’. But if I may offer a solution from my couch of arrows, here’s a show I would watch.
For decades, Shaktimaan has been advising – but nobody’s been listening. So he transforms into an angry, old man just beating up people. Giving ‘Stone Cold Lukewarm Stunners’ to people taking the ‘wrong route’ in traffic. Chokeslams to those who spit in public. Handing out ‘Sweet Chin Music’ to those who pee by the roads. Different kinds of adharma require different heroes. We have tried rules, fines, and punishments. What we need is a superhero who will slap basic civic courtesies into idiots on the roads. Now, that’s a show I’d watch!
(The writer’s views are personal)