Sharad Kelkar Says Emotional Storytelling Is Driving Tumm Se Tumm Tak's Success

Fourteen years after he last appeared on the small screen, Sharad Kelkar is back on television with Tumm Se Tumm Tak - and by his own admission, the response has caught him off guard.

In a recent conversation, the actor said the affection pouring in from viewers, along with the flood of fan-made edits and AI-generated content around the show's lead pair, has been "heartwarming" to witness, particularly given how long he had stayed away from television.

Kelkar, who is reuniting with a familiar on-screen partner after a 14-year gap, said the on-screen chemistry between the two came together with relative ease. "When two actors are comfortable with each other, the chemistry automatically reflects on screen," he explained. "Building chemistry with a heroine is never easy, especially from the very first episode, but when actors understand each other's working style and emotions, it becomes an advantage. I think that has really helped this show."

Much of the credit, he added, belongs to writer Prateek Sharma, whose storytelling he believes gives the show its emotional core. "Prateek Sharma writes beautiful stories. His writing always has a strong emotional connection, and that's what makes his shows interesting," Kelkar said, adding that he expects audiences to connect deeply with the show's emotional beats.

The actor also weighed in on what he sees as a shift in viewer sensibility. "I know the audience today is intelligent. They genuinely enjoy good content. Every channel has shows, but ultimately it's the story and the content that make a difference," he said.

One of the more striking parts of the show's early buzz, according to Kelkar, has been the fan response online — viewers creating edits, videos, and even AI-generated content featuring the lead pair, often before new episodes have aired. "It's amazing to see the kind of edits fans create. They add music, make beautiful videos and even create content using AI. I honestly don't know how they do it all, but it's wonderful to see. Their love feels very special," he said.

Returning to the medium after such a long break wasn't without nerves, he admitted. "When you come back to television after such a long time, there's always a hope in your heart about how people will receive the show. The concept itself is very interesting, but the amount of love people have given us has been truly overwhelming."

Kelkar also used the opportunity to address his relatively low profile on social media, attributing it to his personality rather than any reluctance to engage with fans. "I want to apologise because I'm not very active on social media and I don't interact much with the media either. I often receive requests to go live or give interviews, but I'm a little introverted in that sense. However, if you meet me personally, you'll find I'm completely different," he said.

Despite a packed shooting schedule, the actor said he keeps a close eye on how audiences are responding to the show and remains grateful for the reception it has received so far. He closed the conversation on an optimistic note, expressing confidence that Tumm Se Tumm Tak's emotional storytelling will keep resonating with viewers, and extended his best wishes to the entire team for the show's journey ahead.