Mukesh Khanna recently took a dig at Sonakshi Sinha over her lack of knowledge about the epic Ramayana. Referring to Sonakshi’s appearance on Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2019, Mukesh highlighted how the actor failed to answer a crucial question: For whom did Hanuman bring the Sanjeevani booti? He went on to hold her father, veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha, responsible for not instilling cultural values in his children.
In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Mukesh was discussing the relevance of reviving his iconic character Shaktimaan for today’s generation. He remarked, “I think kids today need the guidance of Shaktimaan more than the kids of the 1970s. Today’s kids are being sidetracked by the internet. They roam around with girlfriends and boyfriends, and eventually, they won’t even remember their grandparents’ names. One girl couldn’t even answer for whom God Hanuman brought the Sanjeevani booti.”
When the interviewer interjected and asked if he was referring to Sonakshi Sinha, Mukesh confirmed, “Yes, and this happened despite her being the daughter of Shatrughan Sinha. Her brothers name are Luv and Kush.”
He added, “People were angry that Sonakshi didn’t know this, but I would say it’s not her fault—it’s her father’s fault. Why didn’t they teach their children this? Why did they become so modern? If I were Shaktimaan today, I would make kids sit down and teach them about Indian culture and Sanatan Dharma.”
During her appearance on KBC 11, Sonakshi was asked, “According to Ramayana, for whom did Hanuman fetch the Sanjeevani booti (herb)?” The options were Sugriva, Lakshmana, Sita, and Rama. She looked confused and used a lifeline to answer the question. Her inability to answer sparked a backlash on Twitter.
Even the show’s host, Amitabh Bachchan, couldn’t resist pointing out the irony of the situation. He said, “Aapke pitaji ka naam hai Shatrughan, aap jis ghar me rehti hain, uska naam hai Ramayana. Aapke jitne chacha hain, wo sab Ramayan se sambandhit hain, Aapko ye nahi pata ki Lakshman ke liye laaye they jadibooti? (Your father and uncles names are derived from Ramayan, you live in a house called Ramayana. How you not know for whom did Hanuman bring the herb?)”
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