The problem with Bollywood is that we can’t accept a ‘no’
Just like late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, actor Sharad Kelkar, too, graduated to films from television, and by his own admission, he has had his share of challenges and low points. He says the biggest drawback has been people’s inability to understand why a person rejects something or someone.
“If I’m offered a film and I say no to it, the reason can be anything from date issues to some personal reason. People only view a situation from their perspective. They’ve to step into the other person’s shoe as well before making a judgement,” shares Kelkar.
The Tanhaji actor also requests everyone — from big producers to all small and big actors — to be mindful of the fact that a person can’t always have their way. “In case you say no to something or someone says no to you, it means there has to be a reason. People take it negatively – if you don’t pick up a call or say no to film, they’d say, ‘Arey iske bhaav badh gaye hain’. At the end of the day, it’s about choice and situation. The problem with Bollywood is that we cannot accept a ‘no’ and that’s wrong,” he explains.
While Kelkar, 43, mourns Rajput’s untimely demise, he says those who looked up to the late actor as their role model are most affected by it. “He was a bright kid. He chased his dreams and realised them. He was an inspiration for a lot of newcomers and aspiring actors from small towns. It’s a major setback to them,” he says.
However, the actor adds that while what happened to Rajput was unfortunate, youngsters should not lose hope and should continue to follow their dreams in Bollywood as there’s a lot of scope.
“There’s a change. People aren’t as ruthless as you think. There are some who’re self-centred and egotistic, but there are other people also. Why do you want to work with those five? You can prove your mettle by working with the other 95, too. There’s no need to panic or get disheartened,” he opines.