Kitu Gidwani recalls walking out of Mukesh Khanna’s Shaktimaan set; says ‘I used to be hot-headed those days’

Kitu Gidwani opened up about her time on the set of the iconic TV show Shaktimaan. Reflecting on her decision to leave the show, Gidwani admitted in a candid conversation with Siddharth Kannan on his podcast saying, "I don’t know… what ideas I got. When you are young, you have these dreams… sometimes I would be hot-headed and walk out of the sets. But very rarely. I quit Shaktimaan thinking maybe this show is not meant for me. I thought I wanted to do serials where I play the lead. Maybe I thought this, I don’t remember now. But, it must have been something like that."

Despite her departure, Gidwani shared fond memories of her time on the show. "I had a lovely time. I loved the comedy scenes in Shaktimaan. I loved doing the scenes with Gangadhar. But at that time, maybe I wanted to do shows where I play the lead. Sorry to all Shaktimaan fans," she said, expressing some regret over her decision. "Sometimes I do regret. I would have loved to do 100 more episodes of Shaktimaan. But sometimes one does make mistakes."

She also spoke about her relationship with Mukesh Khanna, the lead actor and creator of Shaktimaan. "Mukesh ji is a very passionate and down-to-earth person. I don’t have any problems with him. Today, he is opinionated and so am I. At that time, he didn’t know how to communicate, and I was this hot-headed actor, bindas, and we got along very well," Gidwani said, acknowledging the mutual respect they shared. "I think he was very hurt when I left the show, he didn’t call me. Back then I was in my own uljhan as an actress."

For the unversed, Kitu Gidwani was seen in the role of Gita Viswas, a reporter who loves Shaktimaan.
Kitu Gidwani is a seasoned actress known for her versatility and compelling performances. She has been a part of numerous television shows, including Air Hostess, Junoon, and Swabhimaan, where she played strong, memorable roles. Her career spans decades, and she continues to be a respected figure in the Indian television industry.
Shaktimaan is a popular Indian superhero television series that aired in the late 1990s. Portrayed by Mukesh Khanna, Shaktimaan is a superhero with powers derived from yogic practices and the five elements of nature. The show was widely acclaimed for its moral lessons and inspiring children to uphold virtues like truth and non-violence.