Taha Shah Badussha is the internet’s new crush. Life took an unexpected turn when he landed the role of Tajdar Baloch — a lover, nawab and freedom fighter — in Sanjay Leela Bhansali‘s highly anticipated series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. His phone hasn’t stopped buzzing since the Netflix series debuted last week even as his Instagram DM continues to get flooded with congratulatory texts and praises. The actor, who left his studies to pursue a career in acting, and made his debut with Luv Ka The End, opposite Shraddha Kapoor, tells The Indian Express, “Pehle koi call nahin aata tha. Kisi ne kabhi message nahin kiya (I never received a call from anyone, nobody texted me earlier). So after Heeramandi’s release when I get these calls and texts, I feel truly blessed. It means people are watching me.”
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For an actor, words of appreciation and feedback from industry peers, especially contemporaries, remain special and in Taha’s case, it was messages from Neil Nitin Mukesh and Babil Khan that touched him. “If you receive a single message, at least 1000 people are watching you. Interestingly, I recently received Instagram DMs from Neil Nitin Mukesh and Babil Khan who asked me for my number. They wanted to connect with me after watching Heeramandi. I thought it was sweet. It is a great moment for an actor if other actors appreciate you. I spoke to them and had a heart-to-heart conversation. They have a big heart because not every actor will call you after watching your work. Tajdar is the biggest role of my career,” says Taha who is elated with his brother, a man of few words, praising him for his portrayal of Tajdar and his success. “It is a success for my family. I see my mother overjoyed and swell with pride as she talks about me to others. I simply eavesdrop,” the Baar Baar Dekho actor shared.
The 36-year-old opened up about facing rejections as an actor and how the success of Heeramandi will hopefully open new doors for him. “Billions of people, including Bollywood are watching Heeramandi for the sheer magic that Sanjay sir creates on screen. There are a lot of eyeballs. I think Heermandi will change people’s perception of me as an actor. They know I can perform. I can expect the industry to look at me as an option now. Pehle toh main option bhi nahin tha. Umeed hai ki log kahenge, ‘Taha ko bulao.’ (I was not even considered an option. I hope now people will call me for various kinds of scripts and roles),” he hopes.
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When Taha first heard he’d be a part of Heeramandi, he had no idea he would eventually land the role of Tajdar, a complex and well-rounded character caught between love and the struggle for freedom. He plays the love interest of Sharmin Segal’s Alamzeb, a tawaif from Shahi Mahal. Initially offered the minor role of Bajraj, Tajdar’s friend, Taha ended up shooting for 110 days as he managed to impress the Devdas director. However, before he was made the lead, it broke his heart when he was told that he was not going to play the role he gave the look test for. All too familiar with being removed from projects, Taha recalled, “After the look test, When Sanjay sir told me, ‘You’re not doing this part.’ My heart broke. I felt dejected. I was used to being removed from projects and facing rejections. Pehle bhi nikala gaya tha. Yeh sab hot rehta that mere saath (I was used to being removed from films).”
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For Taha, who had been longing for an opportunity to showcase his range as an actor, Bhansali offering him the role of Tajdar was a life-changing moment. “He told me ‘I saw something in your eyes and I want you to play Tajdar.’ For someone, who has been struggling and striving to play different kinds of roles, this was a complete shock for me. Achanak se mujh lead bana rahe hain. Iske phele kabhi aisa nahin hua (Something like this never happened before,” the actor narrated.
Taha admits that working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali was both challenging and inspiring. “He didn’t talk to me directly during the first two days. He would ask his assistant, Amrinder, to instruct me, even as he stood next to me and observed my every move.” The young actor reveals that Bhansali enjoys testing people and evaluating their reactions and behaviour in different situations. “Three days later, he took me aside and said, ‘Tu mujhse baat kyun nahin karta? Tu mere paas aakar baith, monitor mein dekh. Mujhe dekh aur observe kar (Why don’t you talk to me. Come and sit near me, observe in the monitor. Watch me and observe). So every time he would be on set, I would observe him and sit besides him. Lucky for me that he didn’t scold me,” recalls Taha.
“He has a very soft heart,” Taha shares, acknowledging the director’s kind and nurturing side. While others have complained about Bhansali’s scolding, Taha insists, “I think he has a great sense of humour. He’s a man who wants perfection in everything.”
Apart from learning from Bhansali whom Taha calls an ‘institute,’ his experience on the Heeramandi set was further enriched by the presence of legendary actress Farida Jalal, who plays Qudsia Begum, Tajdar’s grandmother. The two quickly developed a strong bond, with Taha describing her as ‘a friend, a mother figure, and a mentor’. “Farida Jalal ma’am became a friend on the first day of our meeting. Whenever I asked her ‘How do you?’ she would cheerfully, respond, “I am laddoo. One by two,” says Taha.
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He fondly recalls her spirited energy on set, even as she faced health challenges, saying, “She was so adorable. On the sets, she used to be extremely enthusiastic and if the shots would get delayed due to lighting work, she would say, ‘C’mon I am dying to act.’ She would jump on her seat and be very energetic. Despite a slipped disc and health issues, she sat through the scenes and never complained. I salute her determination. I got to learn so much from her. She is a legendary actor.”
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Through her stories of a bygone era in Indian cinema, Farida inspired Taha and fellow his cast members. “She would tease us by saying, ‘Yeh aap logo ko AC chahiye (You guys need an AC). In our days, we would sit under a tree and for us, the cool, natural breeze was our AC. She narrated that sync sounds didn’t exist at that time and actors had to go back to the studio to do dubbing their lines with all their emotions all over again. Today, we can see ourselves acting but in those days, you couldn’t even hear yourself, so one can imagine how much harder these veterans had to work to perfect their scenes. Her stories were enriching. We got to know so much about the golden days of Indian cinema,” Taha narrated.
Heeramani features a powerful cast comprising, Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sharmin Segal, Adyayan Suman, Shekar Suman, and Fardeen Khan, among others.
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