Sharad Kelkar plays a military officer in Bhuj: The Pride of India which released on Disney + Hotstar on August 13. Set during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971, the film is based on the life of IAF Squadron Leader Vijay Karnik, who ensured India’s victory by reconstructing the Bhuj airbase with the help of 300 local women from the area. Kelkar spoke about his role and preparation for the movie in an interview. Excerpts:
Tell us about your role in 'Bhuj: The Pride of India'.
I play a military officer in the film who has to defend the country with a troupe of just 120 soldiers. The airbase in Bhuj is destroyed in combat and Squadron Leader Vijay Karnik (played by Ajay Devgn) starts reconstructing it with the help of 300 women from that region. While he is doing that, I head the troupe of 120 soldiers to hold off the Pakistani soldiers.
The film is set during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971. How much prep did you have to do for this role?
The story has been well-researched by director Abhishek Dudhaiya. I did watch a couple of videos and read a few write-ups about the war. We also met Vijay Karnik personally. Mostly, we had to work on the nuances. Since it’s a period war film, the costumes, dialogue delivery, and pattern of communication is very different from say a modern war film like Uri.
Most of the film was shot before the lockdown, and then you finished the shoot once it was lifted. Can you tell us about that time?
We were almost done with the shoot in March last year when the lockdown was announced. There were 12-13 days of shoot and patchwork remaining which we completed in November 2020. It worked for the film because in those interim months, we realised what was missing and could work on it. It helped make the film better.
Watching a war film on a big screen has a bigger impact. Were you apprehensive about the movie releasing on an OTT platform?
It’s a mixed feeling. Whether it is Bhuj or any other film, the experience of watching it in a theatre is completely different. I love the experience of watching a film on the big screen with surround sound and all that jazz. On the other hand, Disney + Hotstar has a huge subscriber base, so it’s great that a lot of people will get to watch the film sitting at home in one go. So yes, it’s a mixed feeling. Theatre watching is a different experience but numbers will be higher here.
You were a popular actor on television but decided to make the switch to films. Was that organic or did you pursue films?
I had never even thought of becoming an actor. I have a degree in Masters of Business Administration, and there was no plan to be an actor. I got into modelling and acting just followed. When I started doing television, there was no dream of doing films. Gradually, my interest towards acting rose and I started to learn more and more. TV shows run for four-five years, and while you earn a lot of money and fame, your growth as an actor stops because you’re playing the same character over years. I tried four-five genres where I could try something different but eventually, I had to return to daily soaps. I couldn’t continue in television and learn the craft or experiment. I switched to films to do all that. Touchwood, people have loved my efforts. They can see that this guy has the hunger to learn and that has been appreciated.
From playing villainous characters to playing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 'Tanhaji' to a transgender in 'Laxmii', you have tried to do a variety of roles. What are the criteria for you to say yes to a project?
It does not matter to me whether it is a five-minute role or a full-fledged one, a villainous one or that of a comedian. Today when I listen to a script, I try and see how important is the character to the film and what I can bring to the table as an actor. I am a six-foot tall guy with a deep voice, toh presence dikhaake kya karoon? (I don’t need to establish my presence) Until and unless I have something to do in the film, I don’t say yes.
You made your web debut with 'The Family Man'. Did you expect your romantic sub-plot to get the kind of love and attention it did? We hear you even received some death threats for coming in-between the protagonist Srikant Tiwari and his wife Shuchi…
Yes, there have been some comments on social media stating that they will kill me for doing that. On a happier note, it’s good that people have gotten so attached to the show and are sensitive to the main protagonist.
We’ll just go ahead and ask you what everyone wants to know – Lonavala mein kya hua tha? (What happened in Lonavala?)
(Laughs) I don’t know. Even Raj and DK (the creators of the show) don’t know. I think the writers should just leave it to the audience because they have their own perception. It’s just got completely blown out of proportion. Even the writers are baffled how it happened. It’s something the nation wants to know, so they are figuring what to show them. The writers of the show are fantastic, so I am sure they will come up with something superb.
You are playing the lead in the film 'Déjà vu'. What can you tell us about it?
It’s a gritty, psychological thriller. The USP is that it is a single actor film. It will make you think twice or thrice about what really happened. It’s an intriguing film and it should be out soon.
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