Taha Shah, who was recently dubbed the “National crush,” following his performance in Heeramandi, really lives up to the title. He joins us for an exclusive conversation in which he opens up on working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and the overwhelming support he gets for his character ‘Tajdar’.
SHIKHA DUGGAL
In the current entertainment world, actors can become well-known through a variety of channels, such as a memorable part in a beloved film or an exceptional performance in a box office hit! May 2024 has been a pivotal month for Taha Shah, as he becomes well-known for his part in the notable project Heeramandi. Many have nicknamed him the new heartthrob of India because of his alluring on-screen persona and natural charm; how could we have missed his interview?
During a conversation with us, Taha Shah expressed his interest in playing Tajdar in Heeramandi by saying, “Look, I’m not lying! Working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the most luxurious director in this country, was undoubtedly a noteworthy experience. To tell the truth, even if it meant taking on the role of a junior artist, I had been waiting a very long time to be involved in any of his projects. That someone like myself was given a direct main role in his movie is just fate! I want to declare publicly from this interview that Sanjay Leela offered me a second chance at this industry and a fresh lease on life. I feel like he’s helped me kickstart my career again! I will always heedlessly accept every project Mr. Bhansali proposes.” In reality, he accepted a three-day contract. Additionally, he spent fifteen months pursuing the audition. He and his companion sincerely implored and begged the casting agent to give them a chance at any role!
“I barely prepared for this part at all. My director literally called me to the set and said, “You are my Tajdar.” On his sets, we are expected to play the everyday scenes from a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film; we don’t actually receive a script. We used to film in the middle of nowhere, never understanding the history of my character, that’s Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s style. He anticipates that every one of his actors will impromptu prepare on the sets! I was also absorbing the energy that my co-star Sharmin was giving off.”
The actor further disclosed, “I realised that love is really vital while working on Heeramandi, but that you should always choose the greater good for the people over your own romantic feelings. You have no idea how much a Sanjay Leela Bhansali set affects us! You enter a completely new time zone each time you step foot on his set, which is why you experience these selfless feelings as well.” Taha added, “In their own times, Heeramandi’s story defied social conventions. Considering Tajdar’s acceptance of Alamzeb, I’m sure attitudes would have shifted. It’s also important to remember that no series like this has ever been produced before! The information is independent. The world was introduced to Heeramandi by Sanjay Leela Bhansali!”
“I spent the most time with Sharmin Sehgal, and our friendship got off to a great start. It assisted us in ice-breaking! We became so accustomed to one another that we failed to notice when we started sharing personal stories. We had a conversation about her marriage! We shared dinners and lunches together. During the break, we would stroll around the sets while cracking jokes. I now genuinely trust her! She has shown me nothing but kindness thus far.” Taha commented on how much of their chemistry is being highlighted!
“I am handling all this hullabaloo about me being the national crush very gracefully,” Taha said to us. “I’m thrilled with my unexpected success, but I’m afraid of letting it control me. What happens if, in the next minute, I manage to detect a low? How am I going to handle that? I refuse to get disoriented and influenced.”
