THE JOYFUL WARRIOR – TAHA SHAH BADUSSHA!

THE JOYFUL WARRIOR – TAHA SHAH BADUSSHA!

Taha Shah Badussha stole the nation’s hearts after the successful release of Heeramandi (The Diamond Bazaar) series that was released on 1^st May 2024 via Netflix. Taha’s been declared the national crush, but there is more to him than his dashing appearance. His drive of willpower and optimism has proved to the world that you should never give up on your dreams, no matter how long it may take! Behind his bashful smile, he has gone through an extreme number of hurdles. He relentlessly worked hard and hustled for many years in the aim of becoming a successful actor. His sacrifices and dedication have resulted in him getting love and recognition not only from India but all over the world, and he truly deserves it!

Born in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 19^th November 1987, Taha originally worked in a variety of areas such as construction, hospitality, real estate, and modelling. These professions were not satisfying Taha, and he realised that he wanted to pursue a career in acting. He enrolled at the New York Film Academy in Abu Dhabi, where he finally felt like he belonged. It’s no surprise for many Asian parents to discourage children from pursuing creative careers, but Taha had the love and support from his family, especially his mom. Fighting for your dreams and going into the unknown is scary, but Taha has constantly mentioned that his mom has been a strong pillar of support for him. She kept Taha in high spirits throughout his rough times of rejection. She encouraged him to ride on the path of his dreams and clearly understood the importance of her son achieving his ambition in life. I can only imagine how happier this world would be if everyone had a supportive and understanding mom like Taha’s.

As we all know, success does not come easy, but for Taha, it has been a long and crazy 15 years to obtain the fame that he has today. After completing his studies, Taha moved to India in Mumbai, known as the city of dreams and the heart of India’s film industry. When Taha came to Mumbai, he didn’t know the Hindi language that well and mainly spoke English. He didn’t know anyone from the film industry and was a complete newcomer to the world of Bollywood. As no one was taking him seriously, he more or less had to beg for auditions. He was promised roles but wasn’t contacted about start dates and was replaced by other actors without him knowing. When he did complete scenes, they were cut from the movies without him being told. He even signed contracts for films but was replaced by other actors at the last minute. He was calling producers and directors for eight years, but they never answered his calls. All these turndowns simply added fuel to his desire to succeed in the film industry. 

He has been on one hell of a rollercoaster journey. Throughout those tough years of pure hustle, although he did star in movies and delivered some great performances, they gained very little or no credit. His very first film, called Luv Ka The End, was released in 2011. Then in 2013, he starred in a film called Gippi under the acclaimed Dharma Productions. Taha played the role of a handsome hunk in high school called Arjun. This was a teen drama, which was new to the Indian audience. Although the film had a fun and feel-good vibe, it didn’t get the recognition or hype it deserved. Taha’s acting was fresh and had a unique sense of style as a newcomer. He continued acting in other films such as Barkhaa/Baar Baar Dekho/Ranchi Diaries/Kabzaa. He also did some acting through television called Taj, divided by blood with well-known actors such as Naseeruddin Shah and Dharmendra. Even though he delivered diverse performances, he was still more or less unknown to the world of cinema.

Throughout his struggling periods, Taha constantly worked on crafting himself into the best possible actor. He recognised his weaknesses and devoted his time, effort, and energy on perfecting them. He had a lonely and strict daily routine of an early morning workout at the gym, attending classes, networking, auditioning, reading, and having early nights in at home. He didn’t have a social life, and instead of going on vacations or partying, he purely invested in himself in the quest of becoming a well-known actor. A very rare quality of resilience and patience, to say the least, but all his commitment and perseverance rewarded him with a role with the spectacular music composer and Bafta-nominated director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Taha was originally selected to play a small character as Iqbal, who is a loyal driver in Heeramandi, but Sanjay recognised something incredible in Taha’s ability of performing. Sanjay made changes to the cast and decided to have Taha perform one of his main characters. Taha bagged the role of a nawab (royalist) called Tajdar Baloch, who is a faithful patriot. It’s as though life was closing all doors for him, but God opened a divine path for him.

After the successful release of Heeramandi, I think it’s fair to say that life has never been the same for Taha! Heeramandi gained 8.5 million views in just 12 days and became the talk of the town! The series has a big cast, including six female actresses along with other male actors. The actresses displayed sensual dance moves in glamorous outfits with sparkling Indian jewellery covered from head to toe. With all that shine and presence from the wider cast and well-known actors, Taha’s talent was not diminished even the slightest. Taha has actually been acknowledged as the real diamond of Heeramandi, and this was proved on social media when he received endless love and praise from all over the world. His fanbase increased on social media from 183k to over 2 million by an army of fans. There were nonstop reels being created every day by the public impersonating dance movements, speaking dialogues, and of course expressing love for Taha’s exquisite performance. He clearly won the hearts of the public.

Taha swept the world off their feet with his fascinating presence and mysterious charm as Tajdar. He deeply dived into the character as Tajdar and delivered various scenes with full emotion and sophistication. The audience has been impacted by the depth of the role and romantic gestures that Taha performed remarkably, with his admiring features. He left no room for improvement as every single scene was performed to absolute perfection with that smooth as silk and dreamy voice! For those of you that have not yet watched Heeramandi, I urge you to watch it and be amazed by his performance. Here are some examples of how Taha performed such a heart-touching and compassionate character:

Taha’s level of acting showed that he converted his lengthy 15 years of struggle into strength. He managed to pour his life’s toughest experiences into craft with such effortless grace.

Having watched Bollywood movies throughout my whole life, I honestly feel that no other Bollywood actor can be compared to the quality of acting and expertise that Taha has produced. Just like Aamir Khan/Shahrukh Khan/Tom Cruise/Tom Hanks have created their own mark in the world of movies, Taha has also formed a unique and incomparable status as an actor.

There is a well-known Indian quote: Upar Wala Jab Bhi Deta Hai, Chapar Phaar Ke Detha Hai, which means When The Almighty Gives, He Gives Abundantly. I feel that this is something that Taha can definitely relate to as his success has now led him to be on several magazine covers. He’s been endorsing various brands and products. He has also done catwalks in the fashion industry and attended the Cannes Film Festival event. He has signed 3 movies with the well-known director Ramesh Sippy that we are on the lookout for. It is as though all the love and respect he was craving for 15 years has fallen right in front of him.

They say that you should never meet your favourite superstars in case they don’t meet up to your expectations. However, it was a dream come true when I had the pleasure of meeting Taha in person, and let me assure you, he went above and beyond all expectations! He came to The Birmingham Mela in Smethwick on Sunday 14^th July 2024. I got VIP tickets for me and my sister (she had the critical responsibility of being my personal photographer/video maker). As we entered the VIP area, I sat on a bench eagerly waiting for him to come. My legs were like jelly. I was looking in my mirror, making sure my lipstick was in place. My hands were shaking in anticipation. With my nerves being all over the place, I was also in a complete world of wonder. I was filled with excitement and gratitude as I was about to meet the new heartthrob of Bollywood that the world admired! 

We waited for 10 minutes, but this seemed like hours, and then I saw him entering the VIP area. The second I saw him, I grabbed my sister’s arm and shouted, ‘THERE HE IS!’ I finally managed to get up from the bench even though I quivered whilst getting up. He heard my excitement and then approached me, doing his traditional and graceful greeting of adab (a hand gesture to show respect and manners in Islamic etiquette). This simple gesture that he does has driven the world crazy. He then shook my hand whilst saying hello and thanked me for coming. I was praising him for his performance in Heeramandi, and he responded by bowing his head to me whilst my hand was placed in between both of his hands (oh, what mannerisms and a complete charmer!). I was in complete awe of him and literally thought I was going to faint! It was thrilling to see how humble and pleasant Taha was even off screen.

When approaching him to take a picture, he said, ‘Hey, I can see how excited you are; come and dance with me.’ For those of you who know me personally, I love to dance! It’s every girl’s dream to dance with a guy that she is besotted over, but at this moment my nerves really took over me, and I became ever so coy. I was in complete and utter shock and just burst into laughter! If I could go back in time, I would have asked him to twirl me (hopefully this may happen whenever I see him next time). As I managed to finally get a grip of myself, I hugged him whilst taking a picture. When he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, I could hear my heart beating ever so fast. I snuggled closely into his neck and chest. I felt his shoulders and arm approving me to move closer to him, and I then placed my hand on his chest (what a moment!). He showed his mischievous and manly personality during my interaction with him, and I adored him more than I thought I could! Taha Shah Badussha I have 2 words for you: Qubool Hai (I do). 

When I came back from the festival, I was filled with complete joy. Taha responded to my admiration for him with kind affection. I was walking on the streets whilst listening to one of my favourite Bollywood romantic songs: Dheere Dheere Aap Mere Dil Ke Mehman Ho Gaye/Slowly You Became The Guest of My Heart. You can listen to the full song with English translations through the link here. Just click on settings and select the preferred language for subtitles. I was singing out loud expressing how happy I was. I went to the same place where I had once stood and cried whilst having my heart broken. I stood there realising that all my grief and pain of the past dissolved as I was now filled with so much love and bliss. I was reminded by the beauty of life and how great it felt to be alive again, as Taha managed to heal something that he didn’t even break!

Taha’s determination and willpower is nothing short of extraordinary, and his battle for survival is truly inspiring. I have given him the title of a joyful warrior, as he did not give up on himself and used all his strength to craft himself into a worthy actor. He used all his pain from the constant turndowns and committed all his time to invest in himself, which became his power. He continued believing that everything would work out regardless of his rejections, and it did. I guess it’s true when they say that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. For all of you that are out there chasing your dreams, Taha has proven that—IT’S NEVER TOO LATE!

I hope this inspires you to believe in the beauty of your dreams and to follow your dreams, no matter how difficult it may be. Life becomes more fulfilling when you don’t give up on your dreams. Start living your dream; that’s the true meaning of life!

REFERENCES:

Cover Picture – Taha Shah Badussha Instagram Profile.