One more hint: he was an American comedian, famously nicknamed "The King of Comedy".
"Gangadhar hi Shaktimaan hai" is one line that carries the weight of an entire generation’s childhood. For anyone who grew up in the late '90s or early 2000s in India, this was a life lesson in disguise. Gangadhar was nervous and clumsy, the kind of guy who would get pushed around in an office or forgotten in a crowd. But behind those thick glasses was Shaktimaan, the hero, who we wish we could be. With his portrayal of the iconic character, Mukesh Khanna brought to life the idea that greatness can exist within the most unlikely people. He gave us hope that even if we don’t feel strong or confident, we still have something special within.
Now as we celebrate the 67th birthday of the man who brought India’s first superhero to life, we share a lesser-known, interesting fact: Gangadhar’s goofy charm wasn’t entirely original. It was inspired by a real-life comic legend, who had ruled the silver screen with his slapstick humor and unmatched timing. Any guesses?
With Shaktimaan, Mukesh Khanna wanted to create an Indian answer to Superman but rooted in our values and culture. But every superhero needs a cover, and that’s where Pandit Gangadhar Vidyadhar Mayadhar Omkarnath Shastri walked in. Gangadhar was a journalist at Aaj Ki Aawaz, who spoke in hilariously formal Hindi and never quite got the scoop.
Speaking about the character, Khanna later said in an interview, “When he is not in his superhero avatar, he is a bumbling photographer who always misses the scoop, much to the chagrin of his boss, Kitu Gidwani.
In Khanna's words, "... Gangadhar's funny get-up, complete with buck teeth and floppy hair, has been inspired by Jerry Lewis, and I must admit many were surprised I had a flair for comedy.”
Jerry Lewis was a revolution in American comedy. Born Joseph Levitch in 1926, Lewis rose to stardom with his wild physical comedy, exaggerated expressions, and childlike energy. In classics like 'The Nutty Professor' and 'The Family Jewels', he brought to life characters who were socially awkward but always full of heart. He wore buck teeth, crossed his eyes, stammered, squeaked, and stumbled his way into audiences’ hearts.
It was his role in 'The Family Jewels', in particular, that left a lasting impression on Khanna. Jerry Lewis played seven characters in that film, one of them featuring a goofy, nerdy persona with prominent teeth and clumsy body language. That image stuck with Khanna when he was designing Gangadhar, a man who needed to be the exact opposite of Shaktimaan. “The idea of buck teeth was taken from Jerry Lewis,” Khanna once admitted. “I wanted Gangadhar to have that same lovable, laughable quality.”
Comedian Jerry Lewis was apparently the inspiration behind Gangadhar’s look. #GangadharHiShaktimaanHai pic.twitter.com/5SDm9FzhZi
— India Wants To Know: India's First Panel Quiz Show (@IWTKQuiz) February 28, 2023
Credit: India Wants To Know: India's First Panel Quiz Show
However, while the visual inspiration was obvious, the similarity ran deeper than appearance.
Gangadhar borrowed Lewis’s teeth and awkwardness, but he was definitely no replica. While Lewis’s characters were almost always comical and nothing more, Gangadhar had a secret. Beneath that silly exterior lay India’s greatest superhero. That duality gave Gangadhar a richness that Lewis’s characters, for all their brilliance, rarely explored.
Where Lewis’s characters were American through and through, steeped in diner humor, jazz clubs, and soda-fountain slang, Gangadhar was proudly Indian. His name alone was a mouthful of Sanskrit-like syllables. He dressed in khadi, spoke in shuddh Hindi, and carried the soul of a common man lost in the crowd. And yet, beneath all that clumsiness, he was collecting clues and preparing to transform into a force for good. As Khanna once explained, “Staying in society as a common person helped him get knowledge about the crime.” So while the audience laughed at Gangadhar’s antics, they were unknowingly cheering for the man behind the mask.
What made Gangadhar’s creation so clever was the emotional seesaw it created for viewers. One moment, you were laughing at this hapless fellow struggling with his camera, and the next, you were in awe of Shaktimaan saving the day. That contrast, the hero and the fool in one body, made the storytelling all the more powerful.
Much like Clark Kent played by Christopher Reeve, or even Peter Parker’s nerdy college phase, this dual identity allowed children to see themselves as the hero. Because if a man like Gangadhar, who couldn’t walk straight without bumping into a wall, could be Shaktimaan, then maybe they could be something extraordinary too.
Gangadhar became an icon in his own right. Children across the country mimicked his high-pitched voice and buck-toothed smile. Parents chuckled at his clumsy courage. Even today, with news of Shaktimaan possibly returning in a new avatar (and this time on the big screen), this question comes to the minds of nostalgic fans; will Gangadhar return too? Will his goofy charm make a comeback in a slicker, high-budget version? Or will he remain a relic of a time when our heroes had as much comedy as courage?
I have come to clarify a misconception which a section of my viewers are started having that through this song and press conference i had come to declare to the world that i will be the next Shaktimaan.
— Mukesh Khanna (@actmukeshkhanna) November 13, 2024
Totally wrong. Let me explain.
1- Firstly why should i say i will be the… pic.twitter.com/oJ0CQmKSsj
Credit: Mukesh Khanna
Happy Birthday, Mukesh Khanna.
