Pocket FM reunites 90s villains in Shaktimaan’s comeback film

Pocket FM has brought back India’s original superhero, Shaktimaan, in a new 40-episode audio series voiced by Mukesh Khanna, who reprises his iconic role nearly three decades after the television classic first aired. The series, Shaktimaan Returns, is now streaming free on Pocket FM and reimagines the superhero for a new generation of listeners.

The story follows his confrontation with Mahatatva, a corrupted guardian of balance, and his quest to retrieve five elemental jewels that hold the key to restoring harmony.

Featuring cinematic sound design and familiar characters like Gangadhar Shastri and Gita Vishwas, Shaktimaan Returns combines nostalgia with immersive storytelling across nearly ten hours of runtime.

Rohan Nayak, CEO and co-founder of Pocket FM, said: “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. For decades, the world has looked to the U.S for its superheroes. 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.”

Sharing his thoughts on the revival, Mukesh Khanna, the original Shaktimaan, said: “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.”

To mark the launch, Pocket FM released a short film titled “Distressed Villains”, featuring 90s-era Bollywood antagonists including Gulshan Grover, Ranjeet, Shehzad Khan, Shahbaz Khan, and Surendra Pal, humorously reacting to the superhero’s return.

Vineet Singh, SVP and head - brand marketing, 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.”

With Shaktimaan Returns, Pocket FM extends the legacy of one of India’s most loved heroes into a new medium, blending nostalgia with technology to reintroduce a cultural icon to today’s listeners.