Did you know? Sharad Kelkar underwent surgery and has 150 stitches due to his anger issues in the past; the actor shared, 'I used to stammer when I came to Mumbai'

Since Sharad Kelkar has been acting professionally for almost 20 years, most of his early work has been in television series. Sharad reflected on some advice Shah Rukh Khan gave him that had a profound effect on him in a recent interview. In conversation with Siddharth Kannan, the actor got candid about his TV career, anger issues and more.

I used to stammer when I came to Mumbai, I didn't know how to act and didn't have money or a home. That time taught me that I will have to work hard and keep hustling till I get work. That was the 2003-04 phase. After that, when I did my first TV show, Sindoor Tere Naam Ka. I had the stammering issue and I was not sure how I would overcome it. Then the last phase was when I was making a transit. That phase had many challenges, we planned a baby, I didn't want to do TV and my wife wasn't working too. I wanted to do films only.

There was a major question in transition, what will we do financially? There is a lifestyle that one has when both of us are earning through TV, having that lavish phase, vacations and all. There were times when I felt a financial struggle and we would think twice before going to the restaurant. I once felt being a married man, about to be a father, did I make a mistake in saying no to TV. But with positivity, I sailed through it.

12 years back, I had an anger issue due to stammering and all. That rage stayed suppressed in me. I never raised my hand on anybody but my anger was quite loud. In my TV days, I had very strong perspectives towards life. Now, I have become much calmer and I take a more respectful way. With time you realise that it is important to understand others' perspectives and then react to things.

My work never got affected because of my anger, but my personal life did. The biggest example is the 150 stitches in my hand and I had to undergo surgery. This was one major incident, I banged the glass and it broke completely on my hand. Keerti witnessed this, she was extremely scared. I was in the hospital and I saw how she was crying outside. It made a huge impact on my life and I decided to turn calm. She did have fear, but I also saw that hope in her eyes. She did tell me that she was scared for herself too witnessing my reaction. Post that life turned completely calm.

When asked about facing discrimination due to TV, Sharad said, "Initially, that used to happen. I didn't witness it much as there was a time when I was doing TV and films together. But yes, that discrimination is prevalent. There was a time when you were crossing that bridge between TV and film. I felt that people would differentiate and call one a TV actor only. I made a statement that an actor is an actor and doesn't add TV or film to it."

It was either Singapore or London, I can’t remember. I was part of a three-day carnival where you get two slots and you have to interact with the audience. I was supposed to go on stage after Shah Rukh sir. As per the schedule, I was supposed to be done by 11 so I told my wife that we will go shopping after that. Then Shah Rukh sir went on the stage and he didn't come down. He took more than 30 mins on the stage and came down when I was supposed to get done. So I asked him. I said ‘Sir, you were supposed to be on the stage for half an hour but you were there for an hour and a half’. He said, ‘I work more than I am paid for.’