Mukesh Khanna Reveals The Budget Constraints He Had While Shooting Shaktiman, Says The Staff Would Put Their Money!

Talk to any 90s kid about Shaktiman and you would instantly see the person’s face light up. He had been a one-of-a-kind superhero, a definition of ‘adbhut adamya saahas’. It is true that despite all the technological advancements, we haven’t gotten a hero like him and the use of heavy special effects for TV during the 90s make it ahead of its time. Shaktimaan actor Mukesh Khanna reveals that the journey wasn’t easy at all. In fact he reveals that the money constraint was such that the staff would have to pool in money and that it was because of the budget that the show had been left unfinished.

Talking to Pinkvilla, the actor said, “I remember there was a time when there was a shortage of money and the staff would collect 15,000 to 20,000 and we would shoot and I would return them the money. What saved us in all this was the economy of the project and the sudden success it got. The slot which was given to us was a non-prime time slot but the show was so successful that it became their prime time slot later. But, because initially, it was not a prime slot, the fee for the two-slot I got was under Rs 3,80,000. We started earning in the first 1-6 episodes.”

Talkinh about leaving the series midway and unfinished, he said, “We started having hindrance when we were suggested that why don't I take a Sunday slot. So I was like no one gave me, I can take that but that is when the problem started because the fee became Rs 7.50 lakh and then after 104 episodes, they said they will increase it to Rs 10.5 lakh. First I agreed but then they kept increasing. When I went on to like 350 episodes, they wanted to increase more and I felt like they were penalizing me for success. So, ultimately when they did not agree, I left Shaktimaan incomplete (it started in 1997 and went on till 2005 March). A lot of people complain but what could we have done. But this is how we sailed through.”

Well, all we can say that we hope a second part is made too. Do you feel the same?