Sharad Kelkar plays Raghav Sinha, a CBI agent in a mystery thriller tele-series
ONE part brilliant, one part eccentric — it’s a character trait synonymous with almost every new-age detective. &TV’s upcoming bi-weekly series, Agent Raghav is no different. Raghav Sinha played by Sharad Kelkar, is a man, like Liam Neeson (in Taken) would say, with very specific skill sets. An enviable high IQ complemented with a photographic memory and an amazing power of deduction keeps the 35 year old ahead of the game while his acute power of observation helps him get to the bottom of the case. To say the least, Agent Raghav, that premieres this September 5, is a cocktail of Monk, Mentalist, Sherlock Holmes with a dash of Psych.
Kelkar, who returns to the small screen after more than two years, begs to differ. “I don’t think he is Holmes,” says the actor. Agent Raghav is far younger (handsome too) CBI agent who, like any detective, from Byomkesh to Karamchand (Pankaj Kapur), is razor sharp, a mind reader and a keen observer of body language. “He is not super intelligent or super human. In fact, he avoids action. He’d rather play mind games than wield a gun,” says Kelkar.
But like others, he too has a dark past that defines and drives him — the unsolved murder of his psychiatrist and hypno-therapist father when Raghav is 14 years old. A fast-paced, mystery thriller that will see Kelkar a couple of kilos lighter and leaner. “He is a careless, garrulous person, who plays by his own rules,” he says.
Then, there’s always a team to add more character to it. From his boss, Agent Trisha (Aahana Kumra), the cool guy on the squad Agent Rajbir (Danish Pandor) to the geek techie Agent Gauri (Deepali Pansare) and sharpshooter Agent Bikram (Jason Tham).
Kelkar signed up for the show for its novelty factor, and that it will air in seasons. “It does not interfere with my films. Also, after shows such as Saat Phere, Sindoor Tere Naam Ka, and Kuch Toh Log Kahenge, I was looking for something new.”
After an MBA in Gwalior, being Grasim Mr India finalist in 2002, and “learning the ABC of acting from his wife Keerti Gaekwad”, Kelkar is now making inroads into cinema. After his roles in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (Khanji Bhai, Leela’s brother) and the Marathi hit Lai Bhaari, Kelkar will reprise Sanjeev Kumar’s role in Hero, make his Telegu debut in Sardar Gabbar Singh as an antagonist and will play late politician Gopinath Munde in the biopic, Sangharsh Yatra.
Not many know that Kelkar is the voice behind Hindi dubbings of Hollywood films such as Planet of the Apes, Guardians of Galaxy, Mad Max, Smurfs 1and 2, Fast & Furious 7 and Bahubali too. “I love dubbing because I get to improvise and write the dialogues too,” says Kelkar.