Veteran television actor Mukesh Khanna, best remembered as 'Shaktimaan', has once again taken a swipe at comedian Kapil Sharma—this time recounting an unpleasant encounter from years ago at a popular awards function. Speaking on the podcast 'Uncensored with Shardul', Khanna reflected on what he described as a clear lack of basic respect within the entertainment industry today.
The actor, who has frequently criticised Kapil Sharma on his YouTube channel in the past, maintained that he wasn’t personally hurt by the incident. However, he said the episode reflected a broader issue of declining courtesy in showbiz.
Mukesh Khanna on why he doesn't like Kapil Sharma
“I was mentioning to someone the reason I do not like Kapil Sharma and why I refused to go on his show, and that story should serve as an eye-opener to everyone, to understand how the film industry really works,” he said on the podcast.
Recalling the incident from the Gold Awards ceremony, Khanna said, “At the Gold Awards, I was being presented with an award, and Kapil Sharma, who was naya naya paida hua (he was new to the industry) and was doing Comedy Circus, was also being awarded. He came and sat beside me and did not even acknowledge me; he sat there for around 20 minutes, and once his name came up, he took the award and went home.”
Mukesh Khanna compares Kapil's behaviour with Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan
Khanna contrasted Sharma's behaviour with that of other stars in the industry who, according to him, have always maintained a sense of humility and camaraderie. He recalled crossing paths with Amitabh Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan in public and being treated with respect.
“I have met Amit ji (Amitabh Bachchan) so many times on flights. I was coming back from London, and so was he. We do not know each other, but he knows that both of us are actors, so we talked. Hrithik Roshan and I were standing at the airport, and he met me and told me, ‘At this point there are two superheroes standing at this airport.’ Even though you have never met someone, you give them such a big compliment, and that is our industry, our fraternity. Kapil Sharma did not have any courtesy,” Khanna said.
The actor, who gained fame as Bhishma Pitamah in B.R. Chopra’s 'Mahabharat', has also worked extensively in Hindi cinema and currently runs his own YouTube channel where he interviews guests and shares his views on current affairs and the entertainment world. He was recently seen in the Telugu film 'Purushothamudu', co-starring Prakash Raj, Murli Sharma, and Raj Tarun.