- By Swati Singh
- Sat, 06 Dec 2025 03:46 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
For 90s kids, every Sunday, living rooms turned into mini theatres for one major weekly ritual- Shaktimaan, the show that inspired Indian superhero universe. From kids, parents to grandparents, all used to sit under the same roof to watch India’s first homegrown superhero. But, what made Shaktimaan so iconic that people of all age groups enjoyed watching it?
Unlike today's flashy superhero movies, Shaktimaan worked on simplicity and the sense of warmth it provided to the audience. Shaktimaan was a hero with values. In today's era, superheroes are more complex. They reflect modern anxieties with flawed, relatable characters. Shaktimaan, if compared to new-age-superheroes, feels more refreshing as it is more gentle and value-driven.
Shaktimaan- A moral guide to children
In late 90s or early 2000s, Indian schools were high on Shaktimaan fever. Children spent lunch breaks, trying to master the art of Shaktimaan's signature spin. There used to be plays on the popular show where students were assigned roles of Gangadhar, Shaktimaan, Tamraj Kilvish or Geeta Biswas. Children used to mimic and portray Shaktimaan during fancy-dress competitions as well.
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Shaktimaan wasn’t just a superhero, he was a full-fledged moral guide for 90s kids. Kids were repeatedly taught to choose honesty over shortcuts or lies, no matter how tempting. Discipline was shown as the real secret behind every strong individual. Shaktimaan taught children to face problems head-on instead of running away.
Weak CGI but strong message
Shaktimaan first aired in September 13, 1997. At the time, Indian television did not have grand CGI budgets nor Hollywood-level technology despite which the show became a cultural phenomen. The iconic maroon and gold costume was a win-win. The design was inspired by Indian elements rather than Western superhero suits, giving children a hero who felt very home-like.
(Image: Gemini)
Why did the VFX work for Shaktimaan?
Shaktimaan became a superhit show in no time because of several reasons. It was the first superhero show of India and Indian children had never seen a TV superhero before, so even basic levitation or glowing effects felt magical. The effects were mainly created using old-school techniques. The spinning transformation, with its blurred rotations and chanting sound, became legendary despite its simplicity. Viewers were deeply invested in the hero because of the messages and morals it used to provide, so they accepted the effects as part of his mystical world.
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For 90s kids-now-adults, nostalgia behind the show comes from simpler Sundays, shared family moments, playground heroics and life lessons that stayed. That is why two decades later, Shaktimaan remains a favourite cult-classic superhero TV show.