Actor Sharad Kelkar, known for his powerful performances and deep resonating voice, is all set to push boundaries in Marathi cinema with his upcoming action-thriller Raanti. The actor, who is currently the captain of the Mumbai Aces team in the Actors Cricket Bash 2024, spoke about his new project during the launch party, highlighting how Raanti aims to introduce an action-packed genre to Marathi films, something that’s been mostly dominated by South Indian and mainstream Hindi cinema.
Sharing his excitement about the film, Sharad said, “Raanti is an attempt to bring something new to Marathi cinema, particularly in the action genre. We often see action films coming from the South or Hindi cinema, but why not in Marathi? This film is our effort to fill that gap, and we’ve worked really hard to create something unique. I just hope the audience embraces it the way they have embraced commercial actioners from the South.” The film promises to bring a fresh take on the action genre, with Sharad Kelkar leading the charge as the protagonist.
In addition to his exciting role in Raanti, Sharad recently made headlines for wearing MS Dhoni’s iconic No. 7 jersey, which led to speculation that he might be cast as the cricketer in a potential biopic. However, Sharad cleared the air, explaining that the choice of jersey was simply due to the coincidence of his birthday falling on the 7th, the same as Dhoni’s. "There’s no direct link. My birthday is on October 7th, and Dhoni’s is on July 7th. It’s just a coincidence,” he clarified. Nevertheless, he expressed his interest in portraying the cricketing legend, saying, “If someone makes a biopic about Dhoni after the 2011 World Cup win, I would love to play him. I can play cricket, and if the opportunity arises, I would certainly take it.”
Produced by Punit Balan Studios and directed by Samit Kakkad, Raanti also stars Santosh Juvekar, Sanjay Narvekar, Shanvi Srivastava, Chhaya Kadam, Nagesh Bhosle, and many others. The film, which is set to release on November 22, promises to be a game-changer for Marathi cinema, introducing thrilling action sequences that will captivate audiences. Sharad’s hopes for the film are high, as he aims to showcase a new side of Marathi cinema that has yet to be fully explored.