Mukesh Khanna is known for his straightforward style and often shares stories about his career. He’s worked with many big names and has some interesting stories to tell.
Days at FTII
Mukesh Khanna met Naseeruddin Shah at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). They were batchmates for two years. Naseeruddin Shah had come from the National School of Drama. He once told Mukesh Khanna that Bollywood actors were doing silly things like running behind trees and showing birds to the camera. Mukesh Khanna predicted that when Naseeruddin Shah joined mainstream cinema, he’d face tough times.
Naseeruddin Shah is a great actor, but he used to wear a beard because he thought his chin was small. He even shaved his beard off for a film. Most actors wouldn’t have performed as well as he did because he’s always unhappy with his role and goes against the usual acting style.
Working with Legends
Mukesh Khanna has worked on many projects with Shatrughan Sinha, who is a close friend. But Mukesh Khanna says that Shatrughan Sinha often uses a fake voice. He speaks from his throat, not his belly. The only film where Shatrughan Sinha used his real voice was “Dost” (1974). After that, his fake voice became his trademark and worked well for him.
Mukesh Khanna says he can play characters like ‘Shaktimaan’ and ‘Bhishma Pitamah’ on TV without fear because he truly represents those characters.