Sharad Kelkar’s Bold Move: 1.5 Years Off to Avoid Typecasting

Sharad Kelkar, a prominent figure in television, OTT, and films, has enjoyed a remarkable career spanning over two decades. Throughout this journey, he has portrayed a wide array of characters, from heroes to villains. However, he recently revealed a significant pause in his career, choosing to take 1.5 years off work to avoid being pigeonholed.

In a candid interview, Sharad expressed that during this period, he felt the pressure to conform to specific roles. "I had been limited because people had been trying. But I've been refusing work left, right, and centre for almost a year and a half. I was sitting at home because I was getting the same kind of stuff. So you have to say no," he shared.

Sharad noted that he received numerous offers to play police officers, which he felt confined him. He emphasized the importance of making strong decisions in one's career, stating, "You need to take a strong decision in life that, ‘I don't want to repeat myself’.”

Transitioning from television and films to OTT platforms has been instrumental for Sharad in diversifying his roles. He remarked, "To be very honest, maybe because of OTT, I keep on shifting from this to that, and I try not to repeat myself. Sometimes, maybe the outer character is the same, but the shades are different."

Currently, Sharad is starring in Neeraj Pandey’s new series, Taskaree, where he plays an international smuggler. The show, featuring Emraan Hashmi as a customs officer on his trail, is now streaming on Netflix.