37 minutes agoAuthor: Ashish Tiwari/Arunima Shukla
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The audience liked the role of Tajdar Baloch in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's recently released web series Hiramandi. This role became so popular in the hearts of the fans that Taha Shah Badusha, who played the role of Tajdar, also came to be known as the national crush. However, there was a time when Taha started pleading Bhansali at his feet to get a role in this series.
Taha reached the office of Dainik Bhaskar in Mumbai at 2 pm. After some formalities, he started telling the story of his struggle.
Today in Struggle Story, read the story of Taha Shah Badusha's struggle, in his own words…
Taha started crying while narrating this journey of struggle.
He used to look after steel business in Saudi
Taha is originally from UAE. Talking about his days there, he says, 'I was born in Abu Dhabi. Later the whole family shifted to Saudi, where I lived with my mother. She used to do business. The responsibility of fulfilling all the needs of the house was on her shoulders. After passing 12th, I took admission in college, but stopped going there after 3-4 months.
I did this because I wanted to help my mother. I felt bad seeing her doing all the work alone. At that time, my mother had started a steel business. After leaving college, I started handling that business. I used to look after the export-import work there.
Taha with his mother in the picture.
I was inclined towards acting because of my mother. I came to Mumbai when my business was shut down.
Taha said that he got inclined towards films because of his mother. He said, 'Ammi loved Hindi films very much. I used to watch Hindi films with her. You can say that this is the reason why I got drawn towards the world of acting.
I started modelling after completing my schooling. I continued modelling along with my business. In 2008, the whole world was hit by a financial crisis. I gave up and said that I will not be able to do business anymore.
I could not do any other work while living in Saudi. I told Ammi that I want to become an actor. She immediately agreed to this and said- go to Mumbai immediately, try your luck in Bollywood. Actually, she herself wanted to become an actress, she had also got a work offer, but her family was not ready for this. Then with Ammi's support, I came to Mumbai.
I did not know Hindi, I learnt it from zero on my own
Taha told that on coming to Mumbai he took admission in Kishore Namit Kapoor Acting Institute. When he reached the class on the first day, he got a script in Hindi. He was baffled on seeing it because he did not know how to read Hindi. He could not even speak Hindi properly. Then he started learning Hindi from zero, in which he was successful too.
A list of 600 emails got me my first break
Talking about his future journey, Taha said, 'My course at Kishore Namit Acting Institute ended in January 2011. I had no idea what to do next. I did not even know where the auditions were held. Then I started giving auditions by asking friends. After some time, I started giving 6 auditions a day.
One day a friend gave me a paper full of 600 emails and said- send your portfolio to all of them, who knows you might get a job somewhere. Following his advice, I sent my portfolio to all 600 emails.
After a few days I got a call from casting director Shanu Sharma. He called me for audition for the film Love Ka The End. I gave the audition and got selected.
This film was being made under the banner of Yash Raj Studios. Along with this film, a contract for two more films was offered. What could be a better start than this for a new comer?
People used to say- work in TV to earn a living
Even after working in films of such a big production house, Taha did not get the recognition he deserved. Even after working in these films, he kept auditioning for small roles. There came a time when he had a shortage of work. Then people mocked him and said that he should leave his dream of films and work in TV.
He started running after the director to ask for work
Taha further said, 'It has happened to me that I lost good projects because of my good looks. The casting team used to say that I am so good looking that I will look different from others, so I cannot be a part of the projects. Now what can be worse than this.
Many times I used to run after directors and producers to ask for work, but was only disappointed. Once upon a time, I was standing in line with my friend at the T-Series office. Then I saw a big director passing by in a car. I thought this was a good opportunity to meet him and ask for work. I immediately started following his car.
He went some distance and got down near a mall. I also parked my car and ran after him. Then I went and told him- Sir, I want to talk to you for 2 minutes.
Perhaps he was not in a good mood that day. He got irritated after listening to me. He scolded me a lot and even abused me. He also said that any man walking on the road comes to ask for work. I was very hurt by his words. I cursed him a lot at that time, but today I don't have any bad thoughts about him.
Taha cried bitterly when scenes were removed from the film
In this entire journey, Taha had to face struggle at every turn. Many times he was cast in projects, but later he was fired citing some reason. Taha said, 'It has happened to me many times that after being cast in a project, I was fired.
Once it happened that the entire shooting of the film was done, but during editing all my scenes were removed. One day I was in a dance class when I got a call from a friend. He told me that I did not have any scene in the film. I was stunned on hearing this. I could not understand anything. I felt a strange pain in my chest and I started crying profusely. I kept crying for about 40 minutes.
Then I convinced myself that by doing this I would not get my scenes back in the film. I motivated myself to struggle again. From the next day onwards I started calling casting directors again to ask for work.'
He started pleading with Bhansali by holding his feet for the role
When Taha did not get work in Bollywood for a long time, he went to the US to audition for the film Aladdin. While he was looking for work there, the whole world was hit by the Covid pandemic. Under this condition, his visa was terminated, due to which he had to come to Mumbai.
Talking about the journey from here onwards, Taha says, 'I have a friend, Tushar. He has worked a lot with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. When I came to Mumbai, he told me that the casting for Bhansali Sir's upcoming series Hiramandi has started. Tushar called Bhansali Production House's casting director Shruti Mahajan and asked her to get me a role in this series.
I used to make calls with Tushar. I used to go wherever auditions were held. This went on for 15 months, then Shruti ma'am asked me to audition for a role. That character had only 3 days of work in the series. Knowing this, I was in a dilemma whether to audition for this role or not. Then Tushar and I thought that even a 1 minute role can leave a deep impact on people's minds. Thinking this, I gave the audition. Everyone liked my work and I got selected.
Taha played the role of revolutionary Tajdar in the series Hiramandi.
3 days passed and I got a call from Bhansali Productions that Sanjay Sir wants to meet me. The next day I went to meet him. We met. He asked me about my previous work and then offered me the role of Balraj. I became happy on hearing this. Where once I was thrown out of the film, now instead of 3 days, I was offered a role of 30 days.
After everything was finalized, I came back home. After a few days, I got a call from the production house that the role has been taken back from me. As soon as I heard this, I felt as if the ground slipped under my feet. Without thinking anything, I went to Sanjay Sir. As soon as I went to Sir, I held his feet and said- Sir, if I have made some mistake, please forgive me, but do not remove me from this series. Give me any role, but do not do this.
Then Sir smiled and said- There is something in your eyes. You will play the lead character Tajdar Baloch in this series. On hearing this I started dancing with joy. My look test was done with all the star cast and everything was finalized. While going home Sir told me- You will not be in touch with anyone from the entire team, whatever you have to ask you will ask only from Shruti.
Many days passed after I came home, but I did not get a call for shooting. During that time I got offers for 3 projects, one of which was an international project. They were offering good money, but my heart was set on Hiramandi.
Time kept passing. The last date for giving confirmation on all three projects came. Despite not wanting to, I refused to work in these projects. Only 3 days had passed when I got a call from Bhansali Production team that Sir is calling me for shooting. This is how I became the crown prince of Hiramandi.
I drank real blood while filming the death scene
Taha drank real blood for Tajdar's death scene in the series. Taha said, 'I drank real blood for the death scene. Due to which, I started vomiting blood from my mouth while hanging upside down. Blood was also coming out of my nose. Due to these reasons, that scene was done with great perfection.'
Taha drank real blood while filming this scene.
Taha has been cheated in love 2 times
Taha also talked about his personal life. He said that he was in a relationship with a girl, but that girl left Taha because he loved and cared for her too much. After this heartbreak, Taha lost faith in love and he was not able to get into a relationship with anyone for a long time.
After 17 years, he fell in love again. He was betrayed again. Now Taha has completely lost faith in love. Regarding this, he said, 'Now I will not be able to fall in love. I have been broken twice. Now I don't even have time for these things.'
Graphics- Vipul Sharma