Mahir Pandhi of Veer Hanuman says, Don't think Thanos is an original concept; he is a 'weaker version of Bali'

Mahir plays the role of Sugreev and Bali in Veer Hanuman

TV actor Mahir Pandhi, who is playing the dual role of Bali and Sugreev in the newly launched serial Veer Hanuman, is ecstatic that he is foraying into the mythological zone.

The actor, who was seen in an out-and-out negative role in Vanshaj, is playing both positive and negative roles of two powerful men in Veer Hanuman.

Mahir spoke about the physical transformation he has undergone to play the part of mighty Bali.

Mahir then went on to say that he believes Marvel's deadly Thanos is a "weaker Bali.".

In one of his Instagram posts, Mahir had once mentioned that he sees Thanos as a weaker version of mighty King Bali.

He told HT, "History is scripted. If you look at ancient stories—whether in Greek mythology, Egyptian legends, or anywhere in the world—when you study the scriptures, you’ll realize that similar ideas have existed in our culture. So, I don’t think Thanos was an entirely original concept; it is an idea from Hindu mythology. This very idea existed in Kishkindha long before Thanos was imagined. Bali was already fighting wars in those times."

Mahir further said that in Veer Hanuman, while portraying the double role, he wants to present the story in a way that it 'resonates with the current generation.'

"Vanars were typically those who were outcast by society. It was always either humans (Nars) or demons (Rakshasas), and gods were sitting safely. When you talk about Thanos, his goal was to eliminate half of existence so the strongest could survive. Bali had a similar ideology. But I guess Bali existed long before Thanos," he added.

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Mahir also spoke about the reason he decided to take on the role of Vanar Raj Sugriv and Bali because he always runs away from the same roles.

"I feel I have always been running away from monotony. So, it's all about exploring more and adding to that palette as an artist. It's always a learning experience—an opportunity to grow and, hopefully, leave a mark," he added.

Mahir has bulked up to play the role, as he wants to show the power that Bali had.

“It's always fun initially when you have to do something like this. Ideally, we have tried to stay as close as possible to the true concept of strength in that era, especially considering Bali and Sugreev, two powerful warrior brothers. Bali, being Bali, was the strongest of all, and I had to do justice to that.”

New mythological TV show Veer Hanuman is the story of Bal Hanuman, and the show also features Aan Tiwari, Sayli Salunkhe, and Arav Chaudhary in pivotal roles.

It airs every day at 7:30 pm on Sab TV; the show premiered on March 11.