Shaktimaan Returns: Mukesh Khanna Revives India’s Iconic Superhero on Pocket FM

India's very own superhero is returning, this time in a completely new avatar: audio. Pocket FM is launching Shaktimaan Returns, an exclusive audio series comprising 40 episodes that feature Mukesh Khanna as the original creator and face of the character.

The series will reintroduce Shaktimaan to a whole new generation while being true to his legacy. Nostalgic yet modern, Shaktimaan Returns is a contemporary environmental thriller that chronicles the journey of India's superhero redefining his mission in today's world.

A new fight for the protector of light

In this new chapter, Shaktimaan's fight goes beyond defeating villains. Now, he faces a threat that involves humanity's greed and exploitation of nature. His nemesis, Mahatatva, once a guardian of balance, becomes an impure force seeking to restore Earth's harmony by any means. Shaktimaan must now collect five mystical Manis of Elements to stop him and find that the true power doesn't lie in destruction but in compassion.

The nearly 10-hour immersive series combines cinematic sound design with a moral message, and the power of light still matters in a chaotic world. In addition, the familiar set of characters includes Gangadhar Shastri, Gita Vishwas, Mahatma, and TRP Baba, making it one of the biggest superhero productions in India's audio entertainment space.

“For many of us, Shaktimaan was the first hero we truly believed in. Bringing him back wasn’t about rebooting the 90s; it was about showing how timeless Indian heroes can be when told through a modern style of storytelling and with a new storyline,” said Rohan Nayak, CEO and Co-founder of Pocket FM. “For decades, the world has looked to the U.S. for its superheroes, from caped crusaders to cinematic universes. But India has its own legends, its own heroes shaped by our values and imagination. Shaktimaan brings a refreshing shift with an Indian superhero who stands for purpose, balance, and moral strength. We’re thrilled to bring him to Pocket FM, and this is just the beginning as we continue to create and reimagine more superheroes for our audiences. Audio is one of the most powerful storytelling mediums, and this project demonstrates how classic Indian IPs can evolve with technology and reach new audiences globally.”

For Mukesh Khanna, who first brought Shaktimaan to life on television, this revival is deeply personal. “Shaktimaan was created to inspire truth, selflessness, and courage in young minds. These values are timeless. When Pocket FM approached me, I was curious to see how those ideals would come alive through audio. But the way they’ve reimagined it, with a fresh storyline while preserving the soul of Shaktimaan, truly moved me. I doubt if any other production house could have done such justice to the character. I’m glad to see that the essence of Shaktimaan is alive and speaking to a new generation in a new voice,” said Khanna.

Villains in Panic as Pocket FM Launches Nostalgic Ad Film

Marking the launch, Pocket FM has released a tongue-in-cheek brand film called Distressed Villains with Bollywood's most infamous 90s antagonists — Gulshan Grover, Ranjeet, Shehzad Khan, Shahbaz Khan, and Surendra Pal, the original Shaktimaan villain. The ad captures the villains in panic mode as they react to the superhero's return, recreating their signature catchphrases – from "Andheraa…" to "By God" and "Bad Man".

Speaking about the concept, Vineet Singh, SVP and Head of Brand Marketing at Pocket FM, said, “We wanted to celebrate Shaktimaan’s return in a way that felt fun, familiar, and full of nostalgia. Who better to react than the very villains who made our childhoods so entertaining? Bringing them together in one frame was pure joy — a reunion of Indian pop culture itself. The idea was to create a moment that makes people smile, reminisce, and realise how deeply Shaktimaan lives in our collective memory.”

The film was conceptualised and produced by Pocket FM’s in-house creative team, and it is available to view on YouTube.

Audio Storytelling: Honoring a Legend

Pocket FM is attempting, through Shaktimaan Returns, to keep alive the legacy of India's original superhero while reimagine storytelling in audio. The series taps into not just nostalgia but reaffirms that Indian heroes can evolve with time and technology to keep inspiring generations. Pocket FM is among the biggest audio series platforms in the world, comprising a community of over 200 million listeners globally with more than 100,000 audio series developed by over 300,000 writers. It leads in average user time consumption per day with 125 minutes, pioneering the episodic audio entertainment format. Shaktimaan Returns can be streamed for free on the Pocket FM app, which is available for iOS and Android devices.