A graduate in History and Geography from Pune in India, Sharma is a trained ramp model. He did catwalk even while he was doing his graduation in Pune. After coming back home with a degree under his belt, he got an opportunity to work in a few television advertisements. In 1988, he decided to get into showbiz and produced a teleserial “Aamako Maya” wherein he gave himself a break in the lead role. Soon he started chipping in for celluloid and produced such well-received movies as “Jalan”, “Anga Rakshak” and “Jetho Kanchho.”
Though he worked for dozens of movies, did modeling for music videos and also for paper ads, it is “Tito Satya” that got him popularity overnight, so admits Sharma.
“Had it not been this serial, I still would’ve been a nobody for people,” says Sharma, who was regarded a look-alike of the Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar in his schooldays.
And for “Tito Satya,” he is willing to give up everything, even if he is offered lead roles in celluloid films. “And I can never thank Dipak Raj Giri enough for making me know what acting is all about. Frankly speaking, I don’t think I’m an actor.”
Despite being a popular for his acting in “Tito Satya”, Sharma insists that it is the popularity of the show that gave him a space in the showbiz world, and not through his acting skills alone.
In fact, Sharma still feels that he is less competent than other character artistes in the business. He still has not taken this profession seriously.
“I knew this from before that I can’t become a professional actor because I’m not born with it. And that’s why I took my diploma training on hotel management in Pune. I’m a hotelier before an actor,” says the proprietor of The Banquet Club in Lazimpat, and adds, “My first priority will always remain the food and beverage business.”
Recalling the moments when he had to face embarrassments as an actor belonging to comedy genre, he uncovers his story.
“My wife still says that she’s embarrassed to walk on my side in public because people call me by my screen name, and she feels like she’s walking inside a zoo,” he laughs aloud. “Once I took my wife and children to the Central Zoo. We were looking at the rhinos while dozens of school students, who had come there, were looking at me. They were more joyous to look at me, as if I resembled a rhino, than looking at the real animal.”
Another embarrassing situation occurred when singer Ram Krishna Dhakal fought against a local bully at one hotel because Sharma was being harassed by him with his screen name.
No matter how odd circumstances he has come through in this profession, Sharma takes it very lightly, saying he is ready to bid farewell to showbiz anytime.
He makes it bluntly that there is not financial security in this line of work. “This job is uncertain. One may retire in his early 30s. Take for example, the case of actor Ramesh Uprety.
He was doing superb as an actor one decade ago. Suddenly, the audiences did not like to see him anymore. And with that, producers stopped knocking at his door. He waited for a year to get a chance for his comeback. Finally disappointed, he left for America,” Sharma explains, highlighting how other actors like Narayan Tripathi and Santosh Panta who were showstoppers at one time are now nobodies for many.
He makes it clear that he does not want to become one among those actors and has prepared himself for both good and bad. In addition, the chubby actor does not want to live life like senior actors Jayananda Shah, Shanti Maskey, and Gopal Bhutani are living in their old age.
“They gave so much to the industry. Ironically, their woes go unheard today. I can’t imagine myself lying on a bed helplessly while actors collect funds for my treatment. This profession does not guarantee us anything. Especially when it comes to character actors like us, we are often overlooked. All that matters to people are those celluloid actors of Nepali films who go on rock climbing wearing fitting jeans and leather jackets while they drink soft beverages in wine glasses,” he enunciates. “I’m also sad to say that acting is an alien subject with them while they don’t even know about simple social manners and etiquettes.”
He concludes firmly, “I request all the young actors to make sure they have something on the side to do besides acting in life. As a character artiste, you don’t earn more than Rs 20,000 a month. Trust me, you can’t survive this way. Showbiz may allure you and glam your lifestyle for sometime, but I believe that you can’t imagine yourself begging for a piece of bread and a glass of water when you have grey hairs and wrinkles all over.”
Well, enough forewarning, that!
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