After completing education, Sharad started teaching physical education. When he got a chance to come to Mumbai on a seven-day visit, for the first time, he got to know about Grasim Mr India 2002 almost on the last day. On an impulse, he participated in the ramp show. At that time he had a part-time job with Airtel, besides working as a gym instructor at Jiwaji Club in Gwalior. Sharad started modelling within one month and has done about 25 ramp shows.
Sharad Kelkar was a Grasim Mr. India finalist. In 2004, he made his television debut with the show Aakrosh which aired on "Doordarshan". Sharad was host of the show Pati Patni Aur Woh (TV series) on Imagine TV in 2009.
Sharad Kelkar married his co-star Keerti Gaekwad Kelkar on 3rd June, 2005. Sharad and Keerti participated in "Nach Baliye 2". The couple have a daughter named Kesha born in February 2014.
In 2007, Sharad hosted Rock-N-Roll Family along with former Hero Honda Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007 contestant Mauli Dave. Then he appeared as Thakur Digvijay Singh Bhadoria in Bairi Piya which earned him critical acclaim for his performance. Sharad was also part of Marathi film Chinu where he played the hero to the female protagonist who plays the title role of Chinu. In 2010, he participated in reality comedy TV series, Comedy Circus Mahasangram (2010) paired with Bharti Singh and Paresh Ganatra. In 2012, he replaced Mohnish Behl as Dr. Ashutosh in the serial Kuch Toh Log Kahenge which aired on Sony Entertainment Television India. His wife Keerti Gaekwad Kelkar is also a television Actress who appeared in Saat Phere as Chandni / Devika in a negative role. Together, in 2006 the couple also appeared on the dance reality show Nach Baliye 2.
Since September 2015, Sharad is seen as Agent Raghav in his new crime and mystery thriller "Agent Raghav - Crime Branch " which airs on &tv. He describes his role as "Here's a guy who is suave and dapper, with an IQ that can give even the most intelligent and shrewd Criminal a run for his money. He can do things that very few can - read people's minds and use deductive reasoning. I haven't played such a character or taken up a crime series like this before. Besides, the premise of the show was unique and I couldn't let it go.". He appeared in Rocky Handsome which released on 25 March 2016. In 2017, he was seen in Indian television show Koi Laut Ke Aaya Hai as Rishabh Singh Shekhari.
