Shiv Jayanti! Sharad Kelkar: People have been behind me to play Maharaj again

In the past, several actors have brought to life the journey and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, one of the recently-known ones being Sharad Kelkar. The actor’s portrayal of the Maratha emperor in the Om Raut directorial, Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (2020), not only won him accolades, but also brought about changes in him.

“As a human being, I’m a little calmer now. Om presented Maharaj in a different way. Usually, people portray him in an aggressive way, he (Raut) made him human. The poise made me calmer in life. Also, the role brought patience to my life. Maharaj is someone who always waited for the right time,” Kelkar shares, on account of Shivaji Jayanti, today.

He goes on to reveal that the character has been offered to him several times since his 2020 film. “People have been behind me to play Maharaj again; almost every month I get a call from someone. My only condition is, the story should be about Maharaj and not about someone else. I want to do it (a project) when Maharaj is the prime character,” he reasons.

Not only has playing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj brought about changes in his personality, it has also changed makers’ perception of him, feels Kelkar. “Before Tanhaji happened, most of the work I was getting was due to the personality I carry. They didn’t notice the actor in me. I was mostly offered negative roles. After playing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the perception has changed. They (makers) treat me as an actor,” the 46-year-old asserts.

He also credits his director, Raut, for the way things panned out: “When I used to walk on to the sets, there was an interesting silence. It was the respect towards Maharaj. Om has done in-depth research about the character. He used to sit down with me and take me to that era before every scene. We haven’t done any retakes, performance wise. Om has a big hand in the creation of the role.”