Sharad Kelkar, who plays Agent Raghav on &TV, talks to SHAlINI SAKSENA about what made him say yes to the series, that he loves to do different roles, not repeat himself and what is important to him is not the medium but the role that has been offered
Tell us about Agent RaghavIJ What is the series aboutIJ
It is crime-based show where Agent Raghav uses his expertise to solve crime at CBI. He is a psychiatrist with the crime branch. He is very sauve, happy-go-lucky kind of a person. He takes things in his stride. He also hates violence and prefers to use words rather than a bullet to prove a point. He fights crime by reading body language and the clues that have been left behind. The fact that he is a mentalist adds to his overall persona. He also has strong deduction powers, is witty, fun-loving and has a humorous side to him — there are many layers to his character. But he comes with a past that haunts him.
Can you elaborate on thatIJ
Well, that would give away the mystery that surrounds him and the character that I play. For now, all I can say is that he has a past; in the coming weeks, as he solves crime his past will also be revealed.
Were there any challenges or difficulties that you faced to play this roleIJ
No, not really. I am an actor. As an actor one should be able to immediately get into the character that one has been offered. Agent Raghav is a very calm and a collected person. So, there was no need for much action even though I get shot in the opening episode that was aired last week. But that was a one off.
So will we only see murders being solvedIJ What about the relationship he has with his teamIJ
Besides solving murders, the series will explore various relationships that Raghav has with other team members. One will just have to wait and watch how this unravels as the series progresses.
Crime shows are popular. Yet we find very few on Indian TV. WhyIJ
There are a few reasons for this. First, if we compare crime shows on English GECs, we will find that they do a lot of research — almost a year goes into scripting and giving the characters shape. This requires a lot of time, money and patience. Not many production houses in India have that kind of money or for that matter time. But Contiloe Telefilms has put in eight months of research in this series so the characters are well-defined. It was not as if the series was put in a haphazard manner.
You have done reality shows, played host, done daily soap and films. If you had to choose one, what would it beIJ
All mediums are different. To choose one will not be possible. All I know is that it is important to be committed to whatever one is doing — films or TV. If one is true to one’s profession, one will find success.
Besides Agent Raghav, what is keeping you busyIJ
I have some films that are due to be released soon. Hero, which released this week. Then there is a Marathi and a Tamil film that are about to be released as well. I have a few Bollywood films — three or four of them — that will be released later in the year. You will hear of them whenever they come up for promotions.
Not many TV actor are able to make it big in Bollywood. WhyIJ
There is not one but several factors that are contributors. First, an actor, wanting to make it big in films should not be impatient. He has to bid his time. Second, he should look at the project that he is being offered carefully. Just because he wants to act in films should not be the sole criteria. Who is the directorIJ, Who is the producerIJ What is the role aboutIJ, etc are some questions that need to be explored. One should wait for the right project; till then one should concentrate on what one has. Third, luck plays an important role.