Astitva, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero, Me Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy, Singham, Krrish 3, Golmaal Again and more... the kind of films where certain performances stay with you long after the story ends. Somewhere in that list of memorable characters stands actor and director Sachin Khedekar, who has moved with ease across languages, formats, and decades. This week, however, the screen gave way to the stage as he is bringing his Marathi play Bhumika to Ravindra Bharathi on April 3.
Speaking about returning to the city, Sachin shares how this visit feels different from his film shoots. “I’m excited because I have been doing Telugu films, but I’m from Maharashtra where I speak Marathi, and this is the play, where I’m going to have a newer audience. They probably watch my films, but this time they would be able to watch me live on stage,” he says, adding that performing before a new audience brings a fresh thrill.
Hyderabad, for him, is not just another work destination but a place filled with warmth and familiarity. Reflecting on his journey in Telugu cinema, he shares, “I have been accepted with great kindness by the Telugu people and I did more than 20 films, a few of them were very successful. I have a great connect with the film industry as people like Trivikram Srinivas, Anil Ravipudi and many others went beyond what I expected, while the stars were extremely cooperative. My first film Janatha Garage with Jr NTR and Koratala Siva became my entry. While my connection with Hyderabad is also through its food, as I love biryani, sweets and everything, because it is a great city with superb food and people.”
Having worked across theatre, films, and OTT, Sachin explains how each medium demands something different from an actor. “The film actually belongs to the director, and it is a director’s medium where he decides what is to be shown. Television or OTT is about writing, and it is a writer’s medium where they write hooks, write creatively, create characters which go a long way, and keep the interest with the writing. In theatre, the actors come to the fore, and it is an actor’s medium because once you are on stage after rehearsing for a month or two, it belongs to the actor. I have worked in all three mediums, and I feel extremely comfortable and love it for the instant gratification,” Sachin notes.
While the preparation for theatre and screen might appear different, he believes the core process remains the same. “I feel the process is the same in theatre because when I rehearse for one or two months, I prepare the character fully, as there is no technical help, and once I am on stage, I am on stage. I see naatak as a craft, complete with the audience, because the show keeps changing with their reactions. In television, I prepare and give the shot, whereas in films much is shaped by the director and writer, although preparation remains similar,” the actor narrates.
When choosing roles, curiosity often leads the way. Sachin highlights, “I do choose based on whether I like the director, their previous work, or sometimes a complete newcomer with a fresh point of view in writing, which is quite attractive, because my contemporaries would always judge me by the work I have done, whereas a youngster or a first-time director narrates a story and looks at me in a different light, therefore I have done many Marathi films with newcomers and younger directors, which gives me a slightly different edge, and I have great faith in young filmmakers and writers because they think the present is important, unlike those with experience who carry preconceived notions, which makes working with newcomers exciting.”
Sachin also acknowledges the lasting impact of mainstream successes. “Singham has been extremely, extremely successful film, and when a hit film makes that kind of impact, all the characters get the benefit, and even though it was released more than 10 years ago, people still remember it, you can imagine the impact it had, and for the first time I could touch all age groups in that character, and that was a big high,” he notes.
Looking ahead, the actor is set to feature in Raja Shivaji, directed by Riteish Deshmukh, alongside upcoming Telugu projects with Dulquer Salmaan and Gopichand.