Sharad Kelkar: I never bound myself to an image

Sharad Kelkar continues to move comfortably between television, OTT and films, without feeling the need to anchor himself to any one medium or image. The actor, who returned to television after an eight-year break with Tumm Se Tumm Tak and is currently seen in Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web, believes adaptability has been key to his journey. He shares, “I never bound myself to a particular character or image. I just went with the flow. Bachpan se seekha hai ki change hota rahega, aapko saath mein chalte rehna hai. You cannot keep complaining about how things are changing. You have to accept them and move forward.” Sharad feels the industry is witnessing a necessary correction, especially after a phase of excessive experimentation in casting. He says, “It’s not just television.

Even on OTT, some have stayed on while others have fallen away, and that kind of filtration was necessary. Otherwise, one person would say, ‘I’ve cast this actor,’ and another would simply follow suit, and somewhere along the way, real talent was getting lost.

Those who are genuinely good will eventually rise on their own. It is the audience that ultimately judges talent.” He adds, “There was a phase where visibility on social media created a bubble, making it seem like everyone was good.

Some of them certainly are. But it’s reassuring to see strong talent now coming through, rather than casting driven purely by reach.” When it comes to avoiding being boxed into an image or a single medium, Sharad is clear that neither defines him. He says, “Neither image nor medium. Our craft has no boundaries. The more you explore, the better it is. I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and I’ve learnt that dull phases come for everyone.

That’s when you keep your head above water and move on.” Looking back at his early days, Sharad admits he entered the industry without grand illusions. Untrained and without a theatre or acting school background, he came from modelling and saw the journey as a chance to learn rather than prove anything. “I had nothing to lose. My only motive was to learn. You don’t learn to swim until you jump into the water,” he says, adding that he was fortunate to be surrounded by the right people early on.

“I was lucky to find good people. My wife is a better actor than me, and she taught me a lot. I also met good directors along the way.”