Archive · 23 Aug 2026
Mukesh Khanna Urges Vande Mataram Replace Jana Gana Mana
Mukesh Khanna wants India to change its national anthem.
He wants “Vande Mataram” to replace “Jana Gana Mana.”
“Jana Gana Mana” is currently India’s national anthem, while “Vande Mataram” is the national song.
Khanna says the current anthem was written during British rule to praise a British ruler.
He also says some words in the anthem describe a ruler who decides India’s future.
Khanna believes “Vande Mataram” shows stronger respect for the motherland.
He says the song was important during India’s freedom movement.
His comments have started a new public debate.
Critics questioned his explanation by pointing to the different dates connected with the song and Queen Elizabeth II.
Actor-producer Mukesh Khanna again urged India to replace “Jana Gana Mana” with “Vande Mataram” as the national anthem.
Khanna said he first made the proposal three years ago and repeated it after Independence Day in August 2026.
He claimed “Jana Gana Mana” was written during British rule to praise a British ruler and questioned the meaning of its lyrics.
Khanna said “Vande Mataram” better expresses devotion to India and played an important role in the freedom movement.
Critics challenged his historical account, noting that “Jana Gana Mana” was first performed in 1911, before Queen Elizabeth II was born in 1926.
- Who
- Actor-producer Mukesh Khanna, known for “Shaktimaan” and “Mahabharat.”
- What
- He wants “Vande Mataram” to replace “Jana Gana Mana” as India’s national anthem.
- When
- He repeated the demand on August 23, 2026, after making it three years earlier and discussing it on August 15, 2026.
- Where
- He spoke to ANI and IANS; an ANI video identified Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- Why
- Khanna says “Jana Gana Mana” was written during British rule to praise a British ruler, while “Vande Mataram” better represents devotion to India.
Mukesh Khanna’s Position
Current Designation and Critics
Which song should be the anthem
Mukesh Khanna’s Position
Khanna wants “Vande Mataram,” currently India’s national song, to replace “Jana Gana Mana” as the national anthem.
Current Designation and Critics
The reports identify “Jana Gana Mana” as India’s current national anthem and “Vande Mataram” as the current national song.
Meaning and origin of Jana Gana Mana
Mukesh Khanna’s Position
Khanna claims the song was written during British rule as praise for a British ruler and interprets “Jana Gana Mana Adhinayak” as referring to a ruler who determines India’s destiny.
Current Designation and Critics
Critics questioned this account, citing the song’s reported first performance in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth II’s birth in 1926.
National identity
Mukesh Khanna’s Position
Khanna says “Vande Mataram” is more closely connected with the freedom movement and expresses respect for the motherland.
Current Designation and Critics
The reports state that “Jana Gana Mana” was adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the national anthem in 1950.
- Current national anthem
- “Jana Gana Mana”
- Current national song
- “Vande Mataram”
- Proposal
- Khanna wants “Vande Mataram” to become the national anthem.
- Jana Gana Mana history
- The reports say Rabindranath Tagore wrote it and that it was first publicly sung in December 1911.
- Official adoption
- The Constituent Assembly adopted “Jana Gana Mana” as India’s national anthem on January 24, 1950.
- Disputed claim
- Khanna linked “Jana Gana Mana” to a British ruler, referring in different remarks to George V and Queen Elizabeth.
- Khanna’s additional project
- He said he recorded a seven-minute version of “Vande Mataram” that he hopes will become iconic.
Sources
‘Jana Gana Mana cannot be national anthem’: Mukesh Khanna demands ‘Vande Mataram’ replace it
Video: Mukesh Khanna Says Vande Mataram Should Replace Jana Gana Mana As National Anthem, Repeats British Rule Claim
Why Mukesh Khanna Wants Vande Mataram As National Anthem Instead Of Jana Gana Mana - Know Full Controversy