Heeramandi's Taha Shah Says Women 'Cried' Seeing Him At Cannes: 'Their Mothers, Fathers Were Fans'

Taha Shah is currently basking in the success of his recently released web series, Heeramandi. The actor’s portrayal of Tajdar Baloch in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s debut series has garnered him the status of the newest man crush in Bollywood. He is currently making waves at the Cannes Film Festival. In a new interview, the actor acknowledged his newfound fame and receiving so much from fans, not just in India but in Cannes too.

In an interview with Film Companion, Taha opened up about how this popularity feels and shared, “There were some incredible people whom I just met from Malaysia! They literally went ballistic! Just before this interview, there was this bunch of girls who went crazy. They were shouting; they weren’t saying anything! All of a sudden, I looked this way, and they were like, ‘Tajdar! Tajdar! Tajdar!’ After that, they went crazy, and they started crying.”

He further added, “I have never seen that reaction ever before. They came near me, and the number of photos and videos they took was different, but they called their mothers, and their mothers were fans! Their fathers were fans! I was overjoyed and completely taken aback.”

Taha Shah plays the love interest of Sharmin Segal’s Alamzeb, a courtesan from Shahi Mahal, in the web series of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The actor’s complex character, caught between love and the struggle for freedom, has won several hearts. Consequently, his Instagram continues to get flooded with love and congratulatory texts ever since the Netflix series debuted last week. Recently, he indulged in a candid conversation with The Indian Express, where he expressed his hope to be offered various roles after Heeramandi.

Taha shared, “I think Heermandi will change people’s perception of me as an actor. They know I can perform. I can expect the industry to look at me as an option now. Pehle toh main option bhi nahin tha. Umeed hai ki log kahenge, ‘Taha ko bulao.’ I was not even considered an option. I hope now people will call me for various kinds of scripts and roles.”

Heeramandi explores the cultural reality of a prominent red-light district with the same name through the lens of courtesans and nawabs during the pre-Independence era in the 1940s. Packed with a star-studded cast including Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, and Sharmin Segal, the series is being showered with immense love from the audience for its screenplay, direction, and acting prowess.