# Mukesh Khanna proposal for India national anthem change

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/mukesh-khanna-proposal-for-india-national-anthem-change
> Updated: 2026-08-22T15:59:04.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2.

Actor Mukesh Khanna has publicly advocated for replacing India’s national anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana’, with ‘Vande Mataram’. Khanna argues that the current anthem is a colonial-era tribute to the British monarchy rather than an authentic representation of the nation. He specifically questioned the meaning of terms like ‘Bhagya Vidhata’ and ‘Adhinayak’, suggesting that the current anthem does not properly reflect the spirit of the motherland.

Following the initial remarks, Khanna addressed the resulting controversy, stating that the issue had been ‘unnecessarily blown out of proportion’ after his comments went viral. He maintained that ‘Vande Mataram’ better captures the sentiment of worshipping the nation and noted the continued influence of British colonial legacies in India.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-22: Mukesh Khanna proposes ‘Vande Mataram’ as India’s national anthem

Actor Mukesh Khanna has called for ‘Vande Mataram’ to replace ‘Jana Gana Mana’ as India’s national anthem, citing the current anthem's origins during the British colonial era.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mukesh-khanna-proposes-vande-mataram-as-indias-national-anthem

### 2026-08-16: Mukesh Khanna demands replacement of national anthem with ‘Vande Mataram’

Actor Mukesh Khanna has demanded that ‘Vande Mataram’ replace ‘Jana Gana Mana’ as India’s national anthem, claiming the current anthem is a tribute to the British monarchy.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mukesh-khanna-demands-replacement-of-national-anthem-with-vande-mataram

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Cite as: Mukesh Khanna proposal for India national anthem change. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/mukesh-khanna-proposal-for-india-national-anthem-change