Shaktimaan- The first Indian superhero is all set for a trilogy on the big screen. Since the official announcement, several speculations have surfaced about the lead actor who will portray the character of the superhero. Yet there are no official words regarding finalisation of the lead actor.
The recent reports suggested that the makers are in talks with a director. However, rumour mongers targeted the original Shaktimaan, i.e. Mukesh Khanna, claiming that he is unhappy with the makers for considering a non-Hindu director.
As per the latest reports, the makers are in talks with Minnal Murali fame, Basil Joseph. Minnal Murali, an Indian Malayalam-language superhero film, emerged as a hit. Considering the great success of the movie, it is touted that Basil is the first choice of the makers.
However, controversies surfaced after certain rumours mongers targeted actor Mukesh Khanna. As claimed by the trolls, Mukesh was unhappy as the director is non-Hindu.
Later, Mukesh cleared the air on the surfaced rumours.
In an Instagram post, Mukesh clarified the recently surfaced rumours and wrote, “It’s a bit early for me to talk about which director will direct #Shaktimaan film. My producers (Sony & Brewing Thoughts) and I are in discussions about it. But, it’s disturbing that some insinuations are being made about the religion of a certain director, & him being a non-Hindu.”
Further, he expressed his worries about the stirring controversies and clarified, “A certain tweet has been put out that I’m not happy with the choice of a non-Hindu director. Let me clarify: I never said any such thing so I don’t know where it’s coming from. Such a thing has no basis in truth. I’ve the utmost respect for talented artists, regardless of religion.”
“Such a thing is really absurd & is totally unwarranted. I request fans of #Shaktimaan to not pay attention to any information that doesn’t come from my producers or me officially. We’ve not signed anyone. Shaktimaan is the idea of India. It’s far bigger than anyone’s petty lies!” he wrote.
It is pertinent to mention here that Mukesh Khanna has forever taken a stand for the Hindu religion and lashes out at any person who tries to defame Hindu culture and religion. Be it A-listed actors or the directors, Mukesh has ever remained open and clear about his thoughts. However, such controversies could have no authenticity as Shaktimaan included several non-Hindu actors.
On the other hand, made at a mere budget of Rs 18 crore, Minnal Murali went on to become a trendsetter worldwide. Moreover, it entered the top 10 list of Netflix globally under the non-English film category. With such spectacular achievement, the Tovino Thomas starrer officially earned the status of an OTT blockbuster. The movie received excellent reviews from both the audiences and critics, for its excellent writing, making, technical aspects, and stellar performances of the actors.
Well, the makers of the Shaktimaan movie trilogy can bet on Basil Joseph for a glorious outcome.