Sharad wants to prove his mettle for lead roles
It’s your performance that will make people believe in you. Look at actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Irrfan, Pankaj Tripathi, Vikrant Massey… they all started with smaller roles. SHARAD KELKAR ACTOR
Sharad Kelkar enjoys immense popularity on the small screen. The reason is not just his onscreen performances, but also the kind of roles he has chosen to associate himself with. And, one can’t overlook the fact that he has mostly played lead roles on the small screen. However, lately the actor has shifted his focus to films and web shows. But unlike on TV, he’s not getting to portray lead roles in both these mediums.
But Sharad says he is hopeful that his time will come. “I want to prove my mettle first and then think about all these things. I’ve come from television and I’m new to films, nobody will suddenly bet money on me in the beginning. Once I prove myself, things will turn for me,” says the Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013) actor.
And even if he is playing supporting roles on these mediums, the actor consciously tries to choose narratives where he can put his “best foot forward”. “Choosing the right project is important because it’s your performance that will make people believe in you. Look at actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Irrfan, Pankaj Tripathi, Vikrant Massey… they all started with smaller roles and went on to become reigning actors,” says Sharad, who was recently seen in the war drama, Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, where he portrayed the character of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Sharad was also in the news for replacing actor Rana Daggubati in Bhuj: The Pride of India, which is expected to release this year. Besides Bollywood, Sharad is in talks for film projects in Telugu and Tamil languages and he’ll be seen in Sivakarthikeyan’s next Tamil venture. “I believe in experimenting, and this year, I’ll do that even more, be it in films or in web shows. The scope is good and so is the canvas. I want to play diverse characters and prove myself. Only when I do that people will be able to decide whether I’m worthy of playing a leading role or not,” he concludes.