Sharad Kelkar reveals how his commanding voice limits ‘common man’ roles, 'People think my voice is my biggest asset, I don’t think so'

Sharad Kelkar believes that the very trait he is most known for—his powerful, commanding voice—can sometimes work against him. The 49-year-old actor, who has lent his voice to Prabhas in blockbuster films such as Baahubali, Adipurush and Salaar, as well as Nani’s Telugu hit Dasara, says filmmakers often hesitate to cast him as an everyday character.

“People think that my voice is my biggest asset, I don’t think so. It’s a disadvantage for you because there are a few characters people can’t offer,” Kelkar told PTI.

“Like, if they want to offer me a simple guy, they are pretty hesitant because they are like, ‘Nahi yaar, his voice is like that, how will he sound as a common man?’”

“Every actor loves to play a villain”

Kelkar has earned praise for a wide range of roles in films and series such as Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram Leela, The Family Man, Tanhaji: The Unsung Hero and Akshay Kumar-starrer Laxmii. Despite his strong screen presence, he says perceptions around his voice often influence the kind of roles that come his way.

The actor is currently enjoying the response to his latest role as an antagonist in Emraan Hashmi-starrer Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web, which premiered on Netflix on Wednesday. Created by Neeraj Pandey and directed by Raghav Jairath, the series follows a determined customs officer (Hashmi) and his team as they take on a notorious smuggler played by Kelkar.

“If you ask any actor, I think they would love to play a villain,” Kelkar said.

“There’s a different shade, and you’re free to do a lot of stuff which you want to do as an actor. There is no limit to it. There are boundaries in the script, but it is always fun to play a villain.”

“I like switching between positive and negative roles”

Having played negative characters in films such as Bhoomi, 1920: Evil Returns, Operation Romeo and Housefull 4, Kelkar says variety is key to staying creatively fulfilled.

“As an actor, I always prefer to shift, and it is fun whether it is a hero or a villain. Otherwise, life becomes very monotonous,” he added.

“My selection process is very simple—the story, the character, and what this character is doing in the story. These three things decide what I want to do.”



Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web also features Amruta Khanvilkar, Nandish Singh Sandhu, Anurag Sinha and Zoya Afroz in key roles.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”