Sharad Kelkar remains the ever-luminous. A name that follows Big B…and the baritones. Bollywood pioneers on the voices. And voices with vehemence, like Amitabh Bachchan’s, while they have gotten us standing on our nerves, Sharad Kelkar comes on the second pedestal to give us the trembling deliriums. Well, fair to call it ‘worthy comparisons.’ For Sharad Kelkar has owned the ferocity.
But is that enough to wrap up Sharad Kelkar? You know that one of the drawbacks of comparisons is that the one who comes later often gets sidelined. However, Sharad Kelkar has ensured that he brings it to life with dynamism, not just through his voice, but also as an actor. That gave him his light, a light of his own. Every character that he has played has spoken about what a one-of-a-kind polymath he is, who transcends the vitality of his voice.
A showcase of valour in Tanhaji—Sharad Kelkar portrayed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the film. Painting a historical epic with flabbergasting emotions, intensity, and power. His presence spoke to us. And it’s he that we could sense Shivaji in our beings.
Laxmii—What does masculinity mean to you? Well, Sharad Kelkar brought nuance to masculinity through his transgender embodiment in this 2020 movie. Those subtle hand gestures, the facial flow, all of that merged the feminine and the masculine. So, there we see Sharad Kelkar as a meditative artist, who knows where to draw the balance.
Har Har Mahadev—speaking of masculinity, we can’t miss out on this one! The actor spoke volumes, picking up on the divine. We see glimpses of his devotion in the film.
The list can continue with Bhoomi, Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela, and others. Every film that you pick up will showcase Sharad Kelkar’s chameleonic cascades as an actor. But he remains one of the underrated actors in the industry.
So, is that where we draw the line on Sharad Kelkar? Hardly. Because there’s still so much more of him we want to see, feel, experience. He’s not just a voice that follows legends; he’s carving out one of his own. And he’s doing it with a quiet storm, role by role, moment by moment.
Sharad Kelkar 2.0 isn’t a reinvention—it’s a reminder. That talent like his can’t stay in the shadows for long. We’re here for it.
And truth be told, we want more. More of that intensity, that balance, that brilliance he carries so effortlessly. The screen needs him. And so do we.
