MUMBAI,January 7: The two girls from Dharwad who set themselves alight thinking that Shaktimaan would leap out of the television screen to save them must have been instigated by ``certain local leaders'', said the serial's producer Mukesh Khanna. Khanna, who produces as well as plays Shaktimaan in this immensely popular serial telecast on DD 1, held a press conference here to flay the ``political and commercial interests or professional rivalry'' that was behind the ``organised campaign against the serial''. The recent mishaps and deaths of children across the country who reportedly tried to imitate the supernatural acts depicted in the serial are part of a sustained campaign to undermine its popularity, Khanna stated. The actor-producer had announced his support to the Bharatiya Janata Party in the last general elections. Said the emotionally charged Khanna, ``Our children are not watching fantasies for the first time to just jump out of the windows or burn themselves. They have watched animated filmsbefore. This is an adult act.'' The serial was more about the fight between ``paap aur punya'' and the fights are used to convey positive messages to children, he said.
Khanna had even engaged the Globe Detective Agency to investigate the matter, and the agency reportedly found that none of the reported incidents had been inspired by Shaktimaan. ``In fact, many of the reported incidents did not occur at all,'' claimed Khanna.
Khanna also rapped gutkha and zarda companies which have named their products after the serial's hero, stating that he would never accept an advertisement for these products. The serial's producers themselves have brought out a comic series on the serial in English, Hindi and Bengali in association with Diamond Comics. They also plan to market Shaktimaan merchandise, including a costume set for around Rs 700.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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