Sharad Kelkar was the saving grace of the disappointing horror-comedy Laxmii. The actor played the titular role of a transwoman who comes back to haunt her murderers in this remake. And while the rest of the film seemed like an absolute waste of time, Sharad’s 20-minutes have you glued to the screen.
This isn’t the first time we’ve fallen in love with Sharad’s acting skills. His portrayal of Khanji Sanera in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela set him apart almost immediately, marking his place in Bollywood. He played the character with ruggedness and authenticity, winning us over.
The actor transitioned from TV to movies, and though we loved him in C.I.D. and Sinndoor Tere Naam Ka, it was heartwarming to watch him on the big screen. Not to mention the challenging, though negative roles he has often taken up, like in Bhoomi. The actor shared that he isn’t afraid of being typecasted because he knows he is good guy off screen and that will always show.
One of his most recent portrayals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Tanhaji proved that he could mould himself in any form to do his character justice. From playing a leader to a cop, to a gangster and now a transgender, he doesn’t shy away from challenges.
His journey hasn’t been an easy one. Sharad was raised by his mother, and decided to become a gym instructor in Gwalior to help her out. A vacation in Mumbai led to him being accidentally discovered and walking the ramp. However, post that he got his MBA and became a Grasim Mr. India finalist. There was just one thing standing in his way now – his stammering.
Sharad spoke about losing a role in a TV serial because he couldn’t recite his dialogue due to his stammering. But the next time he got the opportunity, he had his biggest support system by his side, his future wife and co-star, Keerti Gaekwad.
The couple met on the sets of Aakrosh, tied the knot in 2005 and now have a daughter together. They were also a part of Nach Baliye 2 and we still remember how adorable they were.
Now the actor has established himself with not just movies but also shows like The Family Man, Rangbaaz Phirse, Special OPS, Black Widoes and Agent Raghav – Crime Branch. His journey is an inspiration and we can’t wait to watch more of him in bigger and better roles.