Doordarshan, There are some amazing serials like Shaktimaan, Detective Karan, Jasoos Vijay, Captain Vyom... , which never fail to make me laugh till I cry... Of these, my favourite serial is, yes! you guessed it right... Shaktimaan... That is the typical Desi version of Superman... And I want to hide whenever I see Mukesh Khanna on screen in those awful outfits...
Who is he really???
His real name is Pandit Gangadhar Vidhyadhar Omkarnath Shastri.., better known as Gangadhar and has bunny teeth popping out..just to make him look like a simpleton.. and is a journalist or something like that...
His enemies are Kilvish and his followers who want to create darkness everywhere.. They greet each other by crossing their hands and pointing the palm to the ceiling and say Andhera Kaayam Rahe-(may there be darkness forever....
How did he evolve as a superhero??
When he was a child, he was adopted by some seven ’’Gurus’’ and he was trained and blessed with ’’yogic shakti’’(yogic power).. and when he would grow up, he’ll have superhuman powers... like beingsuper strong, flying, vanishing, predicting future, blow air from mouth so that the badman can fly off.. and others... (now why does it sound like Jaani Dushman - ek anokhi kahani????)(You won’t believe, but the same thing happened to me.. I also have the yogic shaktis.. I can run round and round in circles and disappear.. but if he’s doctor jekyll, I’m Mr. Hyde.. I steal water taps from one’s loo, door handles, 2 minute noodles and satellite cable wires from television sets so that they have no other option but to watch door darshan)
Anyways, he was a positive character and used his powers to save mankind.. and was defender of truth and justice... The serial was extremely popular(don’t ask me why..) in 1997.. and there were reports about children jumping off the building or setting themselves on fire.. so that shaktimaan can come and save them.. (I know that is sad... but why were they so much fascinated by Mukesh Khanna?? He used to look like straight from the sets of Mahabharata, in which he played the role of Bhishma Pitamah)
Why should anyone watch this serial???
-Because your cablewalahs are creating troubles and your cable is cut-off, and Doordarshan is the only channel on your new flat screen television set.
-Because you want to know about the Indian Superhero
-Because you enjoyed watching Jaani Dushman - ek anokhi kahani, Sheshnaag, Ajooba, Jaadugar, etc. etc. and want to get more of them.
-Because you are a die-hard fan of Mukesh Khanna and love watching his other creation Aryaman - Brahmnad Ka Yodhha
-Because you want to distribute sweets and gifts to children and want to be known as Shaktimaan
-Because you want to try the vanishing acts and try flying...
Conclusion
This serial is purely fictitious and bears no resembles to any person living or dead or in other forms... Any resemblence is purely a coincidence... It contains images which may affect children, in the long run, (they might throw tantrums for the Shaktimaan outfits)and so, adult assistance is adviced...