Mumbai, August 16: Renowned actor Mukesh Khanna, famous for his role in ‘Shaktimaan’, has made a significant statement regarding India’s national anthem. He has demanded that ‘Vande Mataram‘ be designated as the country’s national anthem instead of ‘Jana Gana Mana’. In a recent conversation, Khanna reiterated his stance, urging for swift action on this matter.
Khanna stated, “Three years ago, I mentioned that ‘Vande Mataram’ should be our national anthem. ‘Jana Gana Mana’ is not truly our national anthem; it is a tribute to Queen Elizabeth. Rabindranath Tagore wrote a song in her honor, and we accepted it.”
He further expressed his discomfort with certain words used in ‘Jana Gana Mana’, stating they do not resonate with him. In contrast, he emphasized that ‘Vande Mataram’ embodies the spirit of the nation. “Words like ‘Bhagya Vidhata’, ‘Punjab’, and ‘Sindh’ in ‘Jana Gana Mana’ do not feel like they belong to us. ‘Vande Mataram’ is ours. The legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar beautifully rendered it, and I have been working on this song for quite some time,” he added.
Khanna also revealed that he had met with Kalyanji-Anandji regarding this initiative. He has recorded a seven-minute rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ and hopes it will become iconic.
“I want ‘Jana Gana Mana’ to be replaced by ‘Vande Mataram’ as our national anthem as soon as possible. Prime Minister Modi has already begun working in this direction. ‘Vande Mataram’ is being emphasized in schools and various programs. It should be sung in its entirety, as some parts were previously omitted. I am very pleased to see ‘Vande Mataram’ gaining prominence again,” Khanna stated.
It is worth noting that Khanna recently found himself in controversy over remarks made about comedian Samay Raina. Raina commented on Khanna’s famous 90s character, Shaktimaan, during his show ‘Still Alive’. Following this, Khanna expressed his strong displeasure on the social media platform X, using harsh words to describe Raina, even referring to him as a “dog’s tail.”
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