Actor Sharad Kelkar recalled the advice he received from superstar Shah Rukh Khan about 15 years ago in a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan. He mentioned that King Khan’s words left a deep impact on him.
Sharing the incident that happened during an overseas show, Sharad said, ‘It was either Singapore or London, I can’t remember. I was a 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 out for shopping after that.’
Sharad went on to add that when Shah Rukh took the stage, he broke the timetable and extended his performance significantly. Shah Rukh left the stage around 11 p.m., and Sharad kept checking his watch because he had told his wife that he would be with her. I asked him backstage, ‘Sir, you were supposed to be on stage for 30 minutes, but you stayed for an hour and a half.’ He recalled SRK saying, ‘I work more than I am paid for.’
Sharad narrated this story when he was asked if he had ever felt discriminated against for being a television actor. ‘He did not need to tell me this. He might not have known who I am, I was a TV person. But he also respected that I’m an actor. And if I am here, I must have done something,’ he shared.
Sharad concluded by saying that he believed he always ‘got that space and respect’ no matter where he worked in the entertainment space.
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