“I am an actor by practice,”- Sachin Khedekar
When you talk to him, you find him at ease and he also makes you feel comfortable with his modest behaviour. But, when he takes his entry whether on the film sets or in reality at any function, he invites the attention of one and all with his graceful personality. This well built Taurean from Marathi and Hindi film industry certainly makes his presence felt, whenever he is around. Watching him on the screen speaking any language, whether it is English, Hindi or Marathi and performing any character, whether it is North Indian, South Indian, Marathi or Bengalee, Sachin Khedekar- the actor, has always given his best.
Sachin Khedekar
The length of the role does not make any difference to an actor that is within him. Whoever is on the other side in front of the camera, has made a very little difference to him, once the director calls it a ‘take’. But, when you ask him about his preparedness before well known artistes like Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha or Rakhee, (with whom he has given some of his best scenes) he politely admits his nervousness before the scene. “Whenever, I faced such top actors, certainly there was nervousness before the ‘take’, but once the director called it a ‘take’ I got totally involved into my character and tried to give my best,” he says.
“I have been lucky to perform in the company of some of the great artistes, whom I admired, when I had not even entered this field. Take for example -Padmini Kolhapure, who was my
favourite actress during her rising career in Hindi. I had never even imagined that one day I would be playing lead role opposite her.
But, that opportunity came through ‘Chimni Pakhara’ – a Marathi film through which she made her comeback into acting,” he adds. But, what is the secret behind his spontaneity? When you ask him, he is frank enough to tell the truth. “Actually, I am an actor by practice. Every role offered to me, whether small or big; is a challenge to me. I practice that scene, imagining as if it was a real life situation in my life. I accept it as a part of my living. Rest I leave it to the director, as he is the person, who extracts the best out of me. To be very honest, I am a director’s actor,” he admits with a smile on his face.
Talking about his best performances, again he gives credit to his directors, whether it was Mahesh Manjrekar, Shyam Benegal or others. “Mahesh has been a friend for a long time now. He knows, where to use me and how to extract the best out of me. I just take his instructions and do exactly what he suggests. Likewise, every new role played, is an experience for me to improvise further, after viewing it. Some people may say that I am playing more as a common man, but there are different shades into it,” he puts it courteously.
Sachin does not believe in distinguishing between a film and TV serial, provided the role is good. In Hindi, ‘Imtihaan’ was his first TV serial and we have seen him giving his best through that serial followed by ‘Sailaab’. His love for theatre also hasn’t diminished and when he witnesses some of the ongoing Marathi plays like ‘Hamidabaichi Kothi’ and ‘Kathaa’ drawing a full house. He feels very happy about it.
Sachin is now making his comeback as a hero into Marathi films, after a gap of two years, though we have seen him in recent times as a guest artiste in two of Mahesh Manjrekar’s films, namely : ‘Shikshanachya Aaicha Gho’ and ‘Lalbaug Parel’. We have also seen his ability to give his finest even through those smallest scenes. Hence, his forthcoming Marathi film ‘Tayanche Bait’ has obviously raised lot of expectations, as he is once again playing the lead role of a father of a 10 year old child. This film is an emotion filled tale with a touch of humour. When the child gets attracted towards the five star lifestyle of the city of Mumbai, the father throws a challenge to him to be a topper in the class and in return promises him a day’s stay in a five star hotel.
Today, ‘Taryanche Bait’ is not only the talk all over Maharashtra because it is Ektaa Kapoor’s first Marathi film as a producer under her new banner ‘Alt Entertainment’, but also because it is the film of Sachin Khedekar. A promising director Kiran Yadnopavit, who had earlier written three best scripts of Marathi cinema and who had earlier directed some Marathi plays, will be directing this film. Sachin has certainly given justice to that role, as witnessed in the clippings of the film. Now, all eyes on the release date of this film.