Taj - Divided by Blood: What happend when Naseeruddin Shah slapped Taha Shah Badussha?

Actor Taha Shah Badussha, who plays a pivotal role in the upcoming web series titled Taj - Divided by Blood, shares that in one of the scenes, he was slapped by veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah. He reveals how he felt afterward.

Sharing the anecdote, Taha mentioned, "We were shooting one of our most intense scenes together, and I was extremely excited about it. In the scene, Naseer sir slaps me, and I felt grateful to be hit by him as part of the script. That's how much of a fan I am. I feel blessed to be working with him."

The actor underwent an extensive training session to learn several things about a historical character like Murad. From learning horse riding and sword fighting to training in using an axe, among others, Taha also took diction lessons to ace his Urdu enunciations.

Giving insights into his character, the actor had earlier said, "Every character in the show has been written wonderfully; our scriptwriter has done a great job. If I talk about my character, on the surface, he comes across as someone who is evil. But I believe that any amount of evil always comes from a place of love. Deep down, he is really hurt. And from that deep hurt arises a new person who does not love and wants to take revenge. He just wants to grab everything without regard for anyone. He is vulnerable, and his actions come from a space of love."

Taj - Divided by Blood is set in the 16th century and revolves around the succession of the empire among the three sons of Akbar: Salim, Murad, and Daniyal. Naseeruddin Shah plays the character of Akbar, and Aditi Rao Hydari plays Anarkali in the show. Also part of the star cast are Dharmendra, Rahul Bose, Zarina Wahab, Sandhya Mridul, and Aashim Gulati.

Directed by Ron Scalpello and produced by Contiloe Pictures, the historical drama Taj: Divided by Blood will be available to stream on OTTplay and ZEE5 starting March 3.