Taha Shah Badussha is basking in praise for his latest show Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. The actor played the lead character of Nawab Tajdar in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Netflix web series. To sign a role in the Netflix show he went through an intense audition process which was taxing and stressful but eventually, it was all worth it. 

For the unversed, Taha was initially cast to play Tajdar’s friend but was later upgraded by the filmmaker. The actor was ready for any role to work with the filmmaker. When the actor was informed he wouldn’t play Balraj he was tensed and begged the director unaware of Bhansali’s plans for him. 

In an interview with Urban Asia YouTube Channel Taha Shah said, said, “I actually signed on for a three-day role. And that, too, I was chasing the audition for 15 months. My friend and I, we literally begged and pleaded with the casting agent to consider us for any role, really.” He further added, “Two weeks later, when I was on my way to sign the contract, I get a call saying, ‘We’re really sorry, but sir has decided to go another way with you, and you might not be getting this role’.” 

Taha then went to Bhansali's office and immediately started pleading the director to consider him for any role. He continued,“I basically just held his hand and started pleading with him, and saying, ‘Sir, please don’t take me out of this role, it means the world to me. It’s the biggest opportunity of my life, if I did something wrong, forgive me’.” Sanjay Leela Bhansali then asked him to audition for Tajdar. 

Badussha waited for weeks to receive confirmation and started calling casting director Shruti Mahajan who later got annoyed by his continued phone calls. He told Shruti that he would be happy to play any supporting role. He later added, “I was dying. During that month, I was offered three other projects. There was one international project and two domestic projects… I was getting good money for them, and I had to run my house, but I kept stalling. Luckily, three days later, I got a call saying, ‘Sir wants to meet you, come to set.’ The pressure, the stress… It was unbelievable!”

Taha Shah Badussha rose to fame with Heeramandi. Earlier he featured in Taj: Divided by Blood, Gippi, Barkhaa, Baar Baar Dekho, Ranchi Diaries and more. He made his Bollywood debut with Luv Ka The End alongside Shraddha Kapoor.