Children fondly call him by the name of his famous television character — “Shaktimaan”, while elders, who had seen him in mythological series “Mahabharat” want him to shower his blessings on them. It is a catch-22 situation for Mukesh Khanna, the newly appointed chairman of Children’s Film Society , India (CFSI), but the instant recognition by little ones has endeared the actor to them ever since “Shaktimaan” projecting him as a superhero was first aired on Doordarshan in 1997.
During the initial years, it was not exactly smooth sailing for the actor but gradually he built a fan following among children. Thanks to his charismat, baritone and perennial presence on the small screen, his stock among children is probably the highest.
Over the years, Mukesh has developed a bond with children across towns and cities. And it is perhaps this relationship with children which worked in his favour as the Union Government appointed him as Chairman of CFS.
“Senior citizens see me as Bhishma pitamah and want to take blessings from me but I am closest to children. It is my fondness for them which has made me understand their mindsets, apprehensions. They see me as sincere, morally upright and self sacrificing,” says Mukesh.
For someone, who still has to master the art of being at the helm of affairs, Mukesh is candid enough to confess that the task assigned to him is a challenging one and he still has to learn the ropes.
“I still do not know my official duties. I have met Shravan Kumar and some officials. There I got the feedback that children’s films do not get an audience. But I feel that why cannot we make well-crafted films which not only kids but also their parents come to watch in theatres.”
Noting that a huge responsibility has been entrusted on him, Mukesh asserts he is best suited for chairmanship of CFS. “Members of CFS have told me that a market for children’s films does not exist. Why cannot we release children’s films in theatres? If ‘Shaktimaan’ can be such a huge hit that it continues till this day then why cannot we makes commercially viable films of our mythologies like ‘Mahabharata’, ‘Ramayana’?”
As CFS Chairman, Mukesh wants filmmakers to take the responsibility of making animated versions of “Mahabharata” and “Ramayana”. “Our children need to imbibe Indian values. Fortunately, our mythological serials are educative and promote Indian culture. But ‘Ramayana’ and ‘Mahabharata’ are being adapted to animation by foreigners. As a result, they are bereft of Indian values. In the West, we have seen the stupendous success of the Harry Potter series. ‘Batman’ has made billions of dollars. Someone has to take the lead. “
As an actor, Mukesh has campaigned for the BJP in the past. Has he been rewarded for his loyalty to the party? “The charge is baffling. If I was to be awarded for political considerations then it should have been 15 years ago. Why so late in the day? People tell me that I have got the job of looking after CFS because I am apt for it.”
To stress this point, the actor illustrates that for the past 15 years he has been visiting schools across the country for their inaugural functions. “These numerous visits have given me an opportunity to interact with kids and get an insight into their mindset. I want children to develop strong bodies and stop being on WhatsApp and other new platforms.”
Though it is Hindi cinema which has given him a star status, Mukesh does not shy away from taking pot shots at the kind of films being made these days. “Bollywood is having a baneful effect on children’s minds. It is producing escapist cinema. Indra Kumar can make sequels for ‘Grand Masti’ but will the content be suitable for kids. Apart from exposure to films, children are hooked on to Facebook.”
