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News18
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Why Sharad Kelkar Said Yes To Tumm Se Tumm Tak, Returning To TV After 8 Years
Sharad Kelkar revealed that he got many TV show offers, but only Tumm Se Tumm Tak stood out to him. Sharad Kelkar has officially returned to television after an 8-year hiatus with Zee TV's new show Tumm Se Tumm Tak. The actor, who is reportedly the highest-paid cast member of the series, initially turned down the offer. In a conversation with a renowned media house, the actor revealed that it was the gripping storyline and depth of the character that ultimately convinced him to say yes. He also spoke about how he chooses his roles and reflects on his acting journey. Why Sharad Kelkar Chose Tumm Se Tumm Tak In a conversation with Hindustan Times, Sharad revealed that while he had been receiving offers, none had stood out until this one. 'I had initially declined the show as I was already shooting for my OTT project. It wasn't like I wasn't being offered shows, there was nothing too interesting to have caught my eye," he said. A month later, the makers approached him again, and this time, the story grabbed his attention. 'When I finally heard the story, it felt different and interesting. The storyline had a strong hook and the character (Aryavardhan) was so layered. It wasn't like the usual saas-bahu drama, and that's what caught my attention." Sharad Kelkar On Choosing Roles and Projects Sharad further explained his criteria for choosing roles, especially across different media. He shared, 'With experience, you begin to view new roles through a different lens. Saying I was away from television is just one way to put it. Film work demands full commitment — you have to be ready at a moment's notice. That's one of the main reasons I didn't take up daily shows." He added, 'I didn't want to do just any character. I needed something that would challenge me." Sharad Kelkar On His Career During COVID While Sharad's absence from television over the years was a conscious choice based on his preference for selective projects and mediums, he certainly didn't slow down. During the pandemic, which was marked by health risks and job scarcity even for actors, he continued to work across multiple projects. He said with a laugh, 'During COVID, I was probably the busiest person I know. I did seven or eight projects during that time. We even shot in remote areas for safety, like for Black Widows and a few other films. I also shot in Turkey for a historical film, which was an incredible experience." Sharad Kelkar Witnessed the Transformation of the Television Industry Sharad Kelkar, 48, has witnessed the major shift in Indian Television. From format to focus, the landscape has shifted. He shared, 'Earlier, shows ran for years. Now, episodes are just 23 minutes long and attention spans have shrunk. Even casting dynamics have changed. It's not just about talent anymore — it's often about social media numbers." About Tumm Se Tumm Tak Tumm Se Tumm Tak brings an unconventional love story to the small screen. It follows Anu (Niharika Chouskey), a warm-hearted 19-year-old girl, and Aryavardhan (Sharad Kelkar), a 46-year-old business tycoon. The story explores how they navigate societal judgment and emotional struggles in their unlikely relationship. The show premiered on July 7 and airs Monday to Friday at 8:30 PM on Zee TV and Zee5. First Published: July 25, 2025, 15:58 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
I didn't want to do television just for the sake of it: Sharad Kelkar on his return to TV after 8 years
'I had initially declined the show as I was already shooting for my OTT project. It wasn't like I wasn't being offered shows, there was nothing too interesting to have caught my eye,' says Sharad Kelkar who is back on television, after 8 years hiatus. Last seen on television in Koi Laut Ke Aaya Hai (2017) Sharad who is currently a part of daily soap, Tumm Se Tumm Takk tells us, "I was already shooting for another project when I was offered this role, but they came back to me a month later. And when I finally heard the story, it felt different and interesting. The storyline had a strong hook and the character (Aryavardhan) was so layered. It wasn't like the usual saas-bahu drama, and that's what caught my attention,' says Sharad. Actor Sharad Kelkar Further adding, he says: 'With experience, you begin to view new roles through a different lens. Saying I was away from television is just one way to put it. Film work demands full commitment — you have to be ready at a moment's notice. That's one of the main reasons I didn't take up daily shows. Also, I didn't want to do just any character. I needed something that would challenge me.' While he may have been away from television, Sharad certainly didn't slow down. 'During COVID, I was probably the busiest person I know,' he laughs. 'I did seven or eight projects during that time. We even shot in remote areas for safety — like for Black Widows and a few other films. I also shot in Turkey for a historical film, which was an incredible experience.' Over the years, the 48-year-old actor has witnessed the television industry undergo a major transformation. 'Earlier, shows ran for years. Now, episodes are just 23 minutes long and attention spans have shrunk. Even casting dynamics have changed. It's not just about talent anymore — it's often about social media numbers,' he says. While the actor remains focused on his craft, even before his return to television with his current show, the actor found himself surrounded with a controversy — particularly over the apparent age gap between his character and the female lead, played by Niharika Chouksey. Ask him if the trolling or negative feedback bothers him, and he responds candidly, 'When the promos dropped, people started trolling the age gap. But that's just the look. Thankfully, I can pull it off. And honestly, I don't let such things affect me.' He adds, 'Everyone has an opinion these days, and unfortunately, social media gives people the illusion that their opinion is law. But unless you've made a good film or added value to the industry, I don't think it's fair to tear someone else down. Criticism online is often just people looking for sadistic pleasure. I take it with a pinch of salt and move on.'
Hindustan Times
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Exclusive: Ahan Shetty's next film is an actioner, rolls in October; more details inside
Recently, we had reported that Ahan Shetty has finalised his next film, a love story with director Shaad Ali. Now, we have learnt that the actor has locked his next project post that as well, and it marks his entry into the action genre. A source close to the development tells us that Ahan Shetty, who is actor Suniel Shetty's son and made his acting debut in 2021 with Tadap, will be seen in an action-drama next. 'Ahan has signed an actioner which will be directed by renowned Bengali director Birsa Dasgupta, and is being produced by Shibasish Sarkar and Ribhu Dasgupta,' the source shares, adding that the female lead of the film is being finalised currently and the name will be announced soon. The source also informs that the yet-untitled film will go on floors this October. Meanwhile, Ahan also has Border 2 in the pipeline which will release next year. As for Birsa, while this collaboration will mark his directorial debut in Hindi films, he has directed Hindi web series Mafia, Black Widows and The Magic of Shiri before.
Business Insider
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Marvel's 'Thunderbolts*' brings a new team of antiheroes to the big screen. Here's what to know about the cast and characters.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays Valentina Allegra de Fontaine In "Thunderbolts*," Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is the director of the CIA, who sets up the trap that brings the team of superheroes together. Valentina appeared in "Black Widow" and "Falcon and the Winter Soldier," where she recruited John Walker and Yelena Belova. In "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" she spied on the Wakandans. So, it is unclear where her loyalties lie. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, an Emmy-winning actor known for starring in "Seinfeld" and "Veep," plays Valentina. Florence Pugh plays Yelena Belova Yelena Belova is the adoptive sister of Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), one of the original Avengers. In 2021's "Black Widow," a Soviet spy agency placed the two in a fake family and sent them to America on an undercover mission as children. After the mission was completed, the family was separated and Yelena and Natasha became Russian superspies known as Black Widows. By the end of the movie, Yelena and her adopted family had shut down the Black Widow program. In the series "Hawkeye," audiences learned that Yelena was among the many who vanished when Thanos erased half of all living things in the universe in "Avengers: Infinity War." Natasha died in "Avengers: Endgame" before the Avengers could bring Yelena back to life. Yelena attempted to kill Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) to avenge Natasha, but she eventually forgave him. In "Thunderbolts*," Yelena tries to find another way to move past her grief and trauma. Florence Pugh, an Oscar-nominated actor whose previous movies include "Oppenheimer," "Midsommar," and 2019's "Little Women," plays Yelena. Sebastian Stan plays Bucky Barnes Bucky Barnes is a childhood friend of Steve Rogers, the first Captain America. After a near-death experience in "Captain America: The First Avenger," Bucky became the Winter Soldier, a brainwashed super-assassin. Steve saved Bucky and the Wakandans freed him of the brainwashing. In "Thunderbolts*," audiences learn that Bucky has become a congressman. Sebastian Stan, who got his first Oscar nomination for playing Donald Trump in the 2024 film "The Apprentice," stars as Bucky. David Harbour plays the Red Guardian Alexei Shostakov, also known as the Red Guardian, first appeared in "Black Widow" as a Soviet super-soldier. After he was cast aside by Russian forces, he worked with his adoptive daughters, Yelena and Natasha, to shut down the Black Widow program. In "Thunderbolts*," the Red Guardian is still trying to prove that he can be a great hero. Wyatt Russell plays John Walker John Walker is a former army captain who was appointed the new Captain America in "Falcon and the Winter Soldier." Walker later took a super soldier serum so he could live up to the Captain America status, but the US government stripped Walker of the Captain America title after he brutally killed a surrendering Flag Smasher in retaliation for his partner's death. Valentina recruited Walker at the end of the series and gave him the new mantle of US Agent. Wyatt Russell, the son of actors Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, plays John Walker. Hannah John-Kamen plays Ghost Ava Starr, introduced in the 2018 movie "Ant-Man and the Wasp," has the ability to move through solid objects. After a quantum tunnel exploded, killing her parents and giving her unstable powers, Ava was discovered by SHIELD, a spy organization in the Marvel universe, and turned into an espionage operative known as Ghost. Ghost's powers were killing her until Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Williams) transferred quantum energy to Ghost to stabilize her in the "Ant-Man" sequel. Hannah John-Kamen, who starred in "Killjoys" and "Ready Player One," plays Ghost. Olga Kurylenko plays Taskmaster Antonia Dreykov is the daughter of General Dreykov, an antagonist who appeared in " Black Widow." In the 2021 film, her father turned her into Taskmaster, a brainwashed assassin who can copy people's fighting techniques. At the end of the movie, Natasha freed Taskmaster from her brainwashing. However, it appears she is still an assassin in "Thunderbolts*." Olga Kurylenko, who starred in "Quantum of Solace," plays Taskmaster. Lewis Pullman plays Bob Bob is a new character whom Yelena, Ghost, and Walker come across while trying to kill each other. The character is based on the comic book character Sentry, a man who signed up for a government experiment to recreate Steve Rogers' super soldier serum. As a result, Bob gained various powers, including super strength, speed, and flight. In the comic books, the experiment also created a dark entity inside Sentry, known as the Void, which wants to take over his body and destroy the world. Lewis Pullman, known for his Emmy-nominated role in "Lessons in Chemistry" and "Top Gun: Maverick," plays Bob. Geraldine Viswanathan plays Mel Mel is another new character in the main cast of "Thunderbolts*" and she is Valentina's assistant. Fans have theorized that the character could be based on Songbird, who is a member of the comic book version of the Thunderbolts team. Songbird can create solid constructs out of sound and hypnotize people with her voice. Geraldine Viswanathan, who starred in "Blockers" and "Drive-Away Dolls," plays Mel.
