Adipurush dialogue writer Manoj Muntashir Shukla believes it’s a case of just five lines. “I wrote more than 4,000 lines as dialogues in Adipurush, some sentiments got hurt on five of those lines,” he wrote on social media.

The jury is still out on whether it’s five lines or more, but the fact remains that the dialogues of Adipurush have sparked caustic reactions from audiences, politicians and film critics alike ever since its release last weekend.

The film has been widely panned for showing divine characters – especially Hanuman – speak lines that the film’s makers call colloquial, but many film-watchers have found to be crass. Bowing to the pressure, the film’s team announced on Sunday that the dialogues would be altered, “valuing the input of the public and the audience”. The makers said that they are “revisiting the said dialogues, and the same will reflect in the theatres in the next few days.”

However, such moves of altering scenes and dialogues post a movie’s release are not unprecedented. Over the years, filmmakers from Guru Dutt and Bimal Roy to Sooraj Barjatya have sought post-release changes in dialogues and songs for various reasons.

While there are no recent examples, films that saw post release changes include those that were banned in some states or where the makers have made fresh edits, voluntarily. For example, Prakash Jha agreed to some changes in his film Aarakshan on the eve of its release after Uttar Pradesh and Punjab banned it over controversial scenes and dialogues. Whenever a film makes any changes, it has to get the approval of the CBFC. Sometimes, these changes are also made for the film’s satellite or streaming rights.

The makers of Dabangg 3 announced after the release of the film that they voluntarily removed certain scenes from the film’s title track, Hud Hud Dabangg. The film was trimmed by nine minutes. As per reports, about eight minutes were edited from the first half, which included a song, Awara, featuring Salman Khan and Saiee Manjrekar. Another song Naina Lade was also shortened. The film faced controversy when several groups objected to a sequence in the title song that featured saffron-clad sadhus dancing with guitars.

Elaborating on the topic, a CBFC official says, “It is not uncommon for filmmakers – especially in the case of well-known directors and big-budget films – to revise dialogues and scenes. Many filmmakers voluntarily seek modifications after certification. On an average, we receive eight to ten requests from filmmakers across languages. While the film retains the original certificate in the cinemas, any updated modifications are endorsed on back of the certificate.”

The initial reaction to Hum Aapke Hai Koun! after the industry screening was not very positive. The film, which has a running time of 3hr 26 mins, was even longer. In a recent documentary, the film’s maker, Sooraj Barjatya, said, “For Hum Aapke Hain Koun!, we had a screening and that show was a disaster. However, Adi (Aditya Chopra) told me, ‘Dhai gaane katoge toh nikal jayegi’. And honestly, it was on my mind for the last five months. He pinpointed the exact two-and-a-half songs, which I removed the next day (sic).”

Film archivist and historian Shivendra Singh Dungarpur shares that it was quite common in the ’50s and ’70s for filmmakers like Guru Dutt and Bimal Roy to modify their films if they felt the audience was not connecting with the story. Dutt reportedly reshot scenes of Pyaasa after the release and also removed a song. When Dutt visited a cinema showing Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam, he decided to reshoot the climax after seeing the disappointed audience but later changed his mind and didn’t change it. However, he did remove Meena Kumari’s song Sahil Ki Taraf and some dialogues. Similarly, Bimal Roy also changed some parts of Devdas post-release.

Shaktimaan is one show which people remember even today. Actress Vaishnavi Macdonald, who played the role of Geeta Vishwas, recently posted a few throwback pictures of her look from the show on Instagram. She says, “Many people who saw Shaktimaan in their childhood still call me Geeta. They don’t know my real name. I think I have done other good work as well, but Geeta Vishwas overshadows everything.”

Going down memory lane, she narrates a funny incident from the past. “It was in the fourth year of our show and I was sitting with Mukesh Khanna ji on the set. I was looking at his hair and I thought when he used to be in his Gangadhar look, he would wear a wig and while playing Shaktimaan, he had his original hair. So the curious me asked his personal make-up dada about this. And guess what? He went and told Mukesh ji about it! Mukesh ji in a funny way asked me to pull his hair to check if they are real or not. He said, ‘After four years of working with me you didn’t know this?’ It was his real hair in both the characters.”

Before doing Shaktimaan, Vaishnavi did some Bollywood films, so it was challenging to adjust to TV initially. She recounts, “Mukesh Khanna was an established name in the industry and I was changing my medium from films to television. He would mouth big dialogues all at once and I was used to saying shorter dialogues with gaps. I would feel scared at times, but later it all became very normal. I learnt so much from him.”

The actor talks about the controversy over his recent comments about Sonakshi Sinha’s knowledge of Ramayan
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; April 14, 2020)

Senior actor Mukesh Khanna recently took a dig at Sonakshi Sinha, saying that the rerun of Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan on TV would help young people like her, who lacked knowledge about the epic. The comment was triggered by an episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati last year, where Sonakshi didn’t know the answer to a question on Ramayan. Mukesh, who had played Bhishma Pitamah in BR Chopra’s 80s’ iconic TV show, Mahabharat, also lashed out at Ekta Kapoor for making a ‘modernised’ version of the epic on TV. BT questioned him about his controversial statements and here’s what he had to say. Read on...

After your comment on Sonakshi, her father Shatrughan Sinha, without naming you, questioned why is ‘someone’ trying to be the ‘guardian of Hindu religion’...
People have blown my comment out of proportion. I have known Shatruji for long and have immense respect for him. I took Sonakshi’s name as a mere example. It does not mean I was trying to demean her or question her knowledge. However, I am shocked to see how the current generation is not aware of many things. I am not claiming to be the guardian of Ramayan and Hindu literature, but as a citizen of India, I do feel that it is our duty to introduce our literature and history to today’s generation because they are more interested in TikTok and Harry Potter. Once again, if Shatruji feels that taking Sonakshi’s name was a mistake, then yes, it is. But, it was not intentional.

Nitish Bharadwaj has also lashed out at your comments, saying ‘Seniors seem worthy of respect, if they walk the path of empathy’ towards the younger generation. Your take?
Should I not say anything just because today’s generation will stop respecting me? I have never minced words and have always been honest about my thoughts, but Nitish Bharadwaj is diplomatic. He has also said that the current generation will never know about Ramayan and Mahabharat because our school textbooks don’t have any chapters on the epics. Well, there are no chapters on Harry Potter either, but the young generation knows about it. When we were growing up, our textbooks didn’t have chapters on the epics, but our parents introduced us to them.

Puneet Issar, too, has condemned your comments and feels that as you age, you should show some grace...
Puneet is just trying to promote his play, which glorifies Duryodhan. He feels that it is his interpretation of Mahabharat and Duryodhan’s character. He also feels that Ekta Kapoor’s Mahabharat was her interpretation of the epic. Well, Ekta’s Mahabharat looked like Greeks were playing Hindustanis. I do have the right to say that these versions are not based on the original, and they should watch the reruns of Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan and B R Chopra’s Mahabharat.

As Doordarshan bags top slot among the most-watched channels, we find out what’s attracting audiences to old, iconic shows
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 13, 2020)

Back in the ’80s and ’90s, Doordarshan’s viewership would regularly go through the roof. And then, private GECs (general entertainment channels) took over. But now, history is repeating itself as DD — as per the data by Broadcast Audience Research Council-Nielsen — has emerged as the most-watched channel across genres, in the week of March 28 to April 3. In the week before that (March 21-27), DD National didn’t even feature in the top 10 most-viewed channels in Hindi GECs category.

During the ongoing national lockdown due to Coronavirus, DD has brought back many of its iconic shows such as Ramayan, Mahabharat and Shaktimaan. And the idea has worked. As per the data, DD National’s viewership went up to 580 million impressions in the 9 am-10.30 am slot [in the week of March 28 to April 3], compared to one million impressions in the previous week. Likewise, in the 9 pm-10.30 pm slot, the corresponding numbers stood at 835 million impressions, which was two million in the previous week.

TV industry insiders and experts feel DD shows “will always have a strong emotional connect and recall value.” “They will always remain classics. Also, these days, when people’s mood is gloomy, these shows bring positivity, and also make for a great family watch. Plus, they also stand out for their innate simplicity,” says TV director-producer Rajan Shahi. For trade analyst Taran Adarsh, it goes on to “prove the power of quality content”. “That’s why even if one may not have heard of the actors who worked in them, the shows still attract people,” he says.

According to TV producer Sumeet Mittal, people will “always have loads of nostalgia attached to DD shows”. “Also, there are no fresh episodes of the new shows. But it’s great that people are reconnecting to the classics,” he says.

Shaktimaan actor-producer, Mukesh Khanna puts things in perspective: “It’s a great move by DD to bring back the iconic shows, which were extremely rich in content and educative, too. Today’s kids need much more ‘maarg darshan’ than the kids of that time,” he says.

With episode banks running dry due to the lockdown, TV channels decide to revive yesteryear hits
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 6, 2020)

On March 27, Information & Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar announced that in light of the 21-day lockdown, enforced to flatten the Coronavirus spread curve, Ramanand Sagar’s magnum opus Ramayan would be brought back on DD National. Soon after, it emerged that the channel would be rereleasing other yesteryear hits from its oeuvre, including Mahabharat, Shrimaan Shrimati, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Chanakya, Circus, Byomkesh Bakshi and Shaktimaan.

On Thursday, Shashi Shekhar, CEO, Prasar Bharati—India’s public service broadcaster which runs Doordarshan and All India Radio—tweeted, “Thrilled to share that the re-telecast of Ramayan on @ddnational has garnered the highest ever rating for a Hindi GEC show since 2015.” Now, Mahabharat is poised to follow suit.

Meanwhile, with the lockdown having considerably depleted their episode banks, private channels, too, are forced to revisit their older shows. Colors has already brought back the recently-concluded season 13 of Salman Khan’s Bigg Boss, along with popular daily soaps like Dil Se Dil Tak and Belan Wali Bahu. Manisha Sharma, Chief Content Officer, Hindi Mass Entertainment, Viacom18, calls the channel’s old titles “seasoned shows”, adding, “We are facing an unprecedented situation. But we want to make sure that we keep providing wholesome entertainment to our audience, even in the time of social distancing.”

Kapil Sharma’s maiden solo stint on TV, Comedy Nights With Kapil, is also poised for a return with weekend special episodes on Colors. Interestingly, competitor Sony will be airing re-runs of the on-going season of The Kapil Sharma Show. CID, India’s longest-running TV show that went off air in October 2018 after 21 years, is back on Sony. Best of Crime Patrol and Superstar Singer are also returning to primetime. Horror fans will be particularly pleased to learn that the channel has reserved its cult show, Aahat, for midnight viewing. Sab TV, on the other-hand has placed its safe bet on Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.

Mythology seems to be the flavour of the season. After Doordarshan, Star Plus is sprucing up with three of its own past mythologicals— Mahabharat, Siya Ke Ram and RadhaKrishn. Daily staples from the same channel—Saathiya, Diya Aur Baati Hum and Pratigya—are back as well, and sources confirm, are registering considerably higher ratings than during their original run. Star Bharat has decided to get back the two comic classics, Sarabhai vs Sarabhai and Instant Khichdi.

Meanwhile, Zee TV has come up with a unique strategy of bringing their web-shows to the small screen, which includes Sakshi Tanwar and Ram Kapoor’s Karrle Tu Bhi Mohabbat, Baarish featuring Sharman Joshi and the Ronit Roy-led Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain to combat vacant slots in the 9 pm-11 pm duration. “The cessation of shoots across daily primetime soaps lead us to evaluate alternatives in the absence of the core staple,” says Aparna Bhosle, Business Head, Zee TV, adding, “Given that we have access to a vast repository of content across multiple platforms, we decided to look within the network to arrive at this decision.” For the afternoon slots, the channel has revived Brahmarakshas, Pavitra Rishta, Choti Bahu, Kasamh Se, Jamai Raja, Jodha Akbar and Zindagi Ki Mehek.

Ayushmann Khurrana is also returning to the telly, through his 2008 show Ek Thi Rajkumari, which will soon start airing on &TV. The National Award-winning actor played the antagonist Prem in this love triangle. Incidentally, the channel is also bringing back the 56-episode, 2012 version of Ramayan, which had Gagan Malik as Ram, Neha Sargam as Sita and Sachin Tyagi as Ravan. “As the entire country fights the (Coronavirus) threat, there’s nothing better to bring families together than this fight between good and evil,” says Vishnu Shankar, Business Head, &TV.

Mukesh Khanna, who played Bhishma Pitamah in Mahabharat and India’s first superhero in Shaktimaan, says, “I’d never imagined that Ramayan and Mahabharat would air on the same day. It’s surreal. Back in the day, the government asked us not to air two epics in one day, as they were considered heavy shows for viewers. So, the premiere of Mahabharat was pushed by a year-and-a-half,” the veteran actor recounts.

He believes that the two mythological shows, along with his superhero outing, have given people a chance to revisit Indian culture. “After I heard about Ramayan and Mahabharat being brought back on TV, I spoke to the CEO of Prasar Bharati to air Shaktimaan, too. All it took was an e-mail,” he informs.

When asked if there are plans to take Shaktimaan’s story forward, the actor reveals that plans are afoot for season 2. “Shaktimaan was India’s first superhero, not RA.One or Krrish. I wanted to bring the character to the 70 MM format but couldn’t due to monetary issues. I have been working on Shaktimaan’s return for three years now, and there’s a concrete plan in place now,” he signs off enigmatically.

As the Ramayan re-run top TRPs and classic shows return to TV, we look at what’s making them audience favourites all over again
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 5, 2020)

Back in the day, when TV shows such as Ramayan, Mahabharat or Shaktimaan had their original runs, they were the talk of the town. Now, history seems to be repeating itself. Many of these classic TV shows have hit the airwaves again and people are clearly lapping them up. For instance, the re-run of Ramayan on Doordarshan got the highest ever rating for a Hindi GEC show since 2015, when BARC started measuring TV audiences.

Not just Ramayan, thanks to the high demand, other shows such as Mahabharat, Shaktimaan, Circus, Byomkesh Bakshi, Shrimaan Shrimati, Buniyad, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Chanakya and Alif Laila too are back. So, what’s driving this demand? “Now, (due to Coronavirus lockdown) people have a lot of free time, which is also stress-free as far as regular work is concerned. Plus, there’s a nostalgia attached to these shows, as it reminds all of their carefree days,” says TV producer Shashi Mittal of Yeh Un Dinon Ki Baat Hai and Karn Sangini fame.

For trade analyst Taran Adarsh, old shows “will always be very entertaining and engrossing”. “Plus, they impart great teachings too. Now, thanks to these re-runs, our young generation can also watch them,” he says. Ad guru Prahlad Kakkar has a simple, straightforward reason: “Due to the Coronavirus lockdown, there is no new content or episodes. So, re-runs have to fill those slots. And today, viewers also don’t have many choices.”

For the shows’ actors/makers, the “relevance” of their work stands intact even now. “The content that came during the ’80s and ’90s is better than any saas-bahu serials… our show has always been educative. And that’s why Shaktimaan is relevant even today,” says its actor-producer Mukesh Khanna. Adds actor Rajit Kapur of Byomkesh Bakshi fame: “People who’ve watched the show 20 years ago are now showing it to their children. It’s pure, clean and wholesome entertainment. What appeals to people is that it’s simple to understand and, sometimes, simple is more effective.”

Sonil Dedhia (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 1, 2020)

Amid Coronavirus outbreak and 21-day lockdown in India, the government has decided to re-telecast the mythological serial of the ’80s — Ramayana and Mahabharat, on public demand. Joining the list of reruns on Doordarshan is another cult classic from the golden era of Indian television, superhero show Shaktimaan. Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna says that he appreciates this decision. He says, “It is a blessing in disguise. I am impressed with the government as the entire nation is going to watch it together. Since the time the government made this announcement, I have received many calls from fans, who are waiting to watch the show and also share it with their kids.”

Khanna, who also produced the show, essayed the dual roles of Shaktimaan and his geeky double Gangadhar, a photojournalist for Aaj Ki Aawaz newspaper. He adds that the show is significant event today. “The content that came during the ’80s and ’90s is better than any saas-bahu serials. Today’s generation is running behind getting good grades or a high paying job. Most of them are on their mobile phones or the internet. These kids need guidance, and our show has always been educative and informative. And that is why our show is relevant even today,” he says.

The actor says that they are soon coming up with the second season of the show which will tackle a few modern issues. “For the last three years, we have been working towards bringing out the second edition, 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). From technology to even this virus, we will plan to include whatever we can. 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,” he concludes.

Mukesh Khanna, who played the superhero Shaktimaan in the eponymous show, feels that the show was high on values and he’s happy that people want a rerun
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; March 28, 2020)

Soon after the announcement yesterday that Ramayan will be retelecast, actor-producer Mukesh Khanna’s TV show, Shaktimaan, started trending on Twitter, with people requesting for its rerun as well.

Shaktimaan, a superhero show, was aired on Doordarshan from 1997 to 2005. Mukesh played the titular role and his alter ego, Pandit Gangadhar Vidyadhar Mayadhar Omkarnath Shastri, employed as a photographer in a newspaper called Aaj Ki Aawaz. As a show and a character, Shaktimaan found acceptance for its novel plot revolving around a common man, who attains superpowers through meditation and the five elements of nature. Every episode highlighted a socially relevant subject like the importance of hygiene, family values and morals rooted in Indian culture, and it also attacked social malpractices.

When we spoke to Mukesh yesterday, he said, “It makes me happy that people are demanding a rerun, I will be glad if the ministry considers it. Shaktimaan and a few other shows were high on values, their content was such that India watched them. This lockdown has made people understand each other better. I welcome the decision to have reruns, this is the best time for that.” Over a period of time, the show was accused of tempting children to perform dangerous stunts at home, and that was one of the reasons for it to be pulled off air. However, Mukesh said, “The plugs on my show were not pulled because of complaints, but the escalated broadcasting charges. Kids learnt a lot from Shaktimaan; we always warned them, clearly, to not repeat stunts from the show.”

Given that over the last decade, kids have been exposed to a wide variety of cartoons and shows from different countries, would they tune in to Shaktimaan now? “Yes, they will,” Mukesh said confidently, adding, “The shows of that era succeeded because of their content and not visual effects. Shaktimaan was a hit and will be a hit today, too. It has something for today’s children as well.”
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‘SHAKTIMAAN REPRESENTS INDIA, WHICH FIGHTS CRISES WITH ALL ITS MIGHT’

Surendra Pal, who played the main antagonist in the show, said, “A rerun of popular shows will help us bring back our old values into play. Shaktimaan was more for children and their edutainment. My character was called Tamraj Kilvish, and he was as powerful as Shaktimaan. He wanted to spread andhkaar all over the world,create misery. Shaktimaan was working to stop him and destroy his powers. My character often said, ‘Andhera kaayam rahe’. It was a fight between the good and evil. Shaktimaan, to me, signifies India which continues to fight crises with all its might and problems like coronavirus are like Kilvish’s army, which will be destroyed, eventually.”