Did Mukesh Khanna Reject Ranveer Singh As Shaktimaan For Publicity? Co-Star Lalit Parimoo Reacts

The

conversation around Shaktimaan and Ranveer Singh shows no signs of slowing down. Over the years, original Shaktimaan actor Mukesh Khanna has frequently spoken about the possibility of the Bollywood star taking on the superhero role in the planned film adaptation, keeping the topic in the headlines. Khanna always rejected the idea of Ranveer playing Shaktimaan. Amid the continued buzz, Shaktimaan co-star Lalit Parimoo has now shared his thoughts on the matter. Reflecting on the ongoing casting discussions, Parimoo recently addressed the matter and appeared to question the motives behind it.

Lalit Parimoo reacts to Mukesh Khanna rejecting Ranveer Singh as Shaktimaan

During a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Lalit Parimoo was asked about Mukesh Khanna's claim that Ranveer Singh once spent three hours trying to convince him to approve his casting as Shaktimaan."I don't want to say anything against Mukesh ji," Parimoo said, before adding that "today's world is driven by publicity" and that people often resort to "publicity gimmicks" to generate attention. "I think he's playing on those lines," Parimoo remarked.

While noting that only time will reveal the truth behind the claims, the actor praised Ranveer's performance in Dhurandhar and said he is capable of playing Shaktimaan. However, he expressed doubts about whether a film adaptation could recreate the magic of the original series, stressing that modern audiences would expect a superhero film to meet international standards in terms of technology and scale.

Mukesh Khanna on Ranveer Singh as Shaktimaan

Mukesh Khanna had earlier claimed in an interview with Bollywood Thikana that Ranveer Singh personally visited his office and spent nearly three hours trying to convince him about the casting. Recalling the meeting, Khanna said, "That poor guy was sitting in front of me for three hours. But it doesn't reflect on his face what it needs to play Shaktimaan."

While praising Ranveer as a "terrific actor", he added that the actor's personality was better suited to a negative role and has repeatedly maintained that he would rather see Ranveer play the villain than the iconic superhero.Meanwhile, Sony Pictures officially announced a Shaktimaan film in 2022, revealing plans to develop the beloved superhero story as a trilogy. Describing the project as the arrival of India's own superhero on the big screen, the studio partnered with Brewing Thoughts Private Limited and Mukesh Khanna's Bheeshm International for the adaptation.

Ranveer Singh's work front

Ranveer was recently seen in Dhurandhar: The Revenge, which set a new box office standard for Indian cinema. He is reportedly preparing to lead the upcoming high-concept action film Pralay, directed by Jai Mehta.