Shaktimaan sequel in the works, confirms actor Mukesh Khanna: 'Second edition will be contemporary, but rooted in our values'

After Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar announced the re-runs of ’90s shows like Ramayan , Mahabharat and Byomkesh Bakshi due to the 21-day long nationwide lockdown, many social media users demanded that Shaktimaan be aired on Doordarshan. In a recent interview with Times of India, Mukesh Khanna, who portrayed the superhero and his alter ego Pandit Gangadhar Vidyadhar Mayadhar Omkarnath Shastri onscreen, confirmed that a sequel was in the pipeline. Khanna also served as producer on the show that Doordarshan played from 1997 to 2005.   [caption id=“attachment_2881150” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Mukesh Khanna in and as ‘Shaktimaan’[/caption] “For the last three years, we have been working towards bringing out the second edition of Shaktimaan, which is contemporary, but rooted in our values. We were working on the sequel because people wanted to know, aage kya hua (what happened next). I feel whenever we return to work after this crisis, I will be in a better position to bring out the second part because the demand for it is higher than ever before,” the actor told TOI. Khanna said that he will be glad if a rerun of his show is considered. He added that he was confident the show will still be a hit among children even in 2020. In 2011, Shaktimaan: The Animated Series was launched on Sonic, penned by six times Emmy award-winning writer Jeffrey Scott. The show centred around a young college student named Vehaan Arya, modelled after the original character. This was followed by a made for TV movie Hamara Hero Shaktimaan in 2013. Khanna featured in the titular role alongside Uday Sachdeva as Junior Shaktimaan. Khanna had told Indian Express in 2013 that he wished to make a feature length film centred on his character, but had to go with a telefilm instead due to budget issues. Hindustan Times writes that a 3D animated series on Shaktimaan has also been announced. The trailer was revealed at last year’s Comic Con India.