An extraordinary actor, Sharad Kelkar’s most recently essayed the role of a transwoman in the horror comedy ‘Laxmii’. Discussing his decale-long career in films, Lokmat reports Sharad saying, “I’d complete ten years in the film industry, although I started my film career in 2004 when I did a Marathi film. But shifting from this to that, happened in 2012 with ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela’.
He recollects a time when he was out of work, “Everyone has faced struggles. My initial days were full of struggles, not getting work, ‘paise nahi hai’ (there’s no money), staying with more than 12-13 people in a house. All that has been done, but anyone values their success more when they have struggled for it.
Looking back on his journey so far he says, “It’s been a great journey, I’ve made good friends. The audience has accepted me as an actor. It’s a great achievement. Any actor strives to be accepted and appreciated for your value. Credit goes to viewers who like my work, and to luck also. I do believe in luck.”
He reveals that he used to stammer, but overcame it. “For me, I think the struggle was very important. The other challenge was stammering, and somehow I managed to work on that. I’m still trying to do my best and learn without limitations.”
Sharad touches upon his career as a voice-over artist, “My career as a voice-over artist is a tricky one, as I am unable to give it the concentration it deserves; I’m more focused on my acting career. If one is travelling in a plane with a mask on, and you call up your friends, people recognise you with your voice. It’s a great feeling when your voice doesn’t need a face. I’m not doing too many voice-overs but I’d love to.”
Speaking of what the future holds for him, he says, “I live in present, so there’s no future plan. Whatever you plan, somehow it goes for a toss. In early 2020, I was supposed to do a few films, which were to release in late 2020. Who would have thought? There’s no point in planning the future. Better to live in the present and enjoy what you are doing, and analyse yourself, work on your mistakes, and move forward.”
What do you think of Kelkar’s journey?