'Shaktiman' and 'Mahabharat' fame, Mukesh Khanna is still unmarried at the age of 65. Has he taken any pledge like 'Bhishma Pitamah', or is there any other reason? Here's what we know so far!
Mukesh Khanna is one of the few actors in the history of Indian cinema, who dominated the television industry and also made an impact in films. From playing India's legendary superhero, Shaktiman, to playing 'Bhishma Pitamah' in Mahabharat, Mukesh Khanna has played several notable characters in his illustrious acting career. He was born on June 23, 1958, in Mumbai to a middle-class family. After completing his schooling, Mukesh Khanna took admission in St. Xavier's College and went to the Film and Television Institute of India. With a B.Sc., Masters of Law, and acting degrees to his portfolio, Mukesh Khanna made his acting debut in the 1981 film, Roohi.
After making his acting debut with Roohi, Mukesh Khanna worked with a series of renowned directors in films like Saudagar, Dard-E-Dil, Kundan, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Barsaat, Jagannath, Love Story 98, Zulm-O-Sitam, Jaalsaaz, and many more. However, it's fair to say that Mukesh Khanna became a renowned star in India after playing the role of 'Bishma Pitamah' in B.R. Chopra's Mahabharat. The actor became a household name across India, courtesy of the precision with which he had acted in the television show.
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Post getting nationwide appreciation for playing the character of 'Bhishma Pitamah' in Mahabharat, Mukesh Khanna came up with the idea of building a superhero television show. The actor created the whole concept and portrayed the character of a superhero named 'Shaktiman' and his alter ego, 'Pandit Gangadhar Vidhyadhar Mayadhar Omkarnath Shastri'. The show became a huge success in India, and Mukesh Khanna even received letters of appreciation from several Indian politicians back then.
Even the then-Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee lauded Mukesh Khanna for creating a show like Shaktiman that has a positive influence on children. For the uninitiated, Mukesh Khanna and his show, Shaktiman, even caught the attention of The Wall Street Journal as the international newspaper featured him on the front page and appreciated his show's positive influence on kids through its storytelling. Another interesting fact about Mukesh Khanna and his acting career is that he has never played a negative role in his career.
Despite being such a famous and successful actor in Indian cinema, Mukesh Khanna's name was never linked to any actress. At a time when we see actors getting linked to their co-stars one film after the other, it's so strange that a good-looking and famous actor like Mukesh Khanna never crossed paths with a lady. The topic of Mukesh Khanna's marriage has been a topic of discussion between his fans for some time now. One of the most common speculations about his marriage is that he had vowed never to get married. The rumour got a lot of backing from people and media reports due to the fame Mukesh Khanna got after playing the character of 'Bhishma Pitamah' in Mahabharat.
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Once, in an old interview with On The Talks, Mukesh Khanna addressed the topic of his marriage and shared a lot of things about it. The actor addressed the much-speculated reason that he had reportedly taken 'Bhishma Pratigya' and clearly declined it by saying that "no one can become Bhishma Pitamah." Mukesh Khanna clarified that he had not taken an oath and that the sole reason behind his singlehood was that marriage is written by destiny.
"At one time, this was the favourite question of every journalist. Let me tell you that I am not against marriage. People often said that Mukesh Khanna played Bhishma Pitamah, whom he is adopting in his personal life, so he did not marry. Let me tell that I am not so great and no man can become Bhishma Pitamah. I did not take any pledge like Bhishma in my personal life, but let me also tell that no one would consider the institution of marriage more than me."
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Further, in the same interview, Mukesh Khanna also stated that marriage happens only to those people, who have it in their destiny. The actor hinted at the possibility that due to his way of speaking his mind in public, a lot of controversies got attached to him, which could be the reason why he failed to make a bond with someone. However, more than that, Mukesh Khanna rubbished the rumours that he was against the institution of marriage. The actor added that humans write affairs, while marriage is fixed by destiny. He said:
"If I have to get married, it will happen; now a girl is not going to be born for me. Marriage is my private matter, I do not have no wife. I am not against marriage. A marriage is written in destiny, affairs aren't written. Let me end this controversy once and for all. Marriage happens to those who have it in their destiny. By the way, because of my habit of speaking my mind, a lot of controversial things are associated with me."
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