Aashim Gulati Opens Up On His Character Salim In ‘Taj Season 2’, Shares Experience Of Working With Naseeruddin Shah

Aashim Gulati talks about his role in 'Taj- Reign of Revenge', the challenges of portraying such an intense character and his experience of working with Naseeruddin Shah.

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New Delhi: Actor Aashim Gulati is all set for the 2nd season of ‘Taj’ which begins 15 years after the end of the first season. The new instalment charts Salim's journey from being the exiled enemy of the Mughal Empire to seeking blood and revenge in an attempt to become the next emperor.  

The actor is excited about the second season of the series and believes that it was the perfect timing for him to take on this challenging character. Aashim reveals that he wouldn't have been able to play the role of Salim three years back, but now it's the right place that he is in. He further adds that the show is not comparable to Mughal-e-Azam, as it's a pure family drama and he has not even touched the surface of the greats, who have played Salim in the past. 

Talking about his role as Salim, Aashim says that he wants to bring his own flavours to the character and not make it a caricature. Aashim shared, "We have received so much love for Season 1 and now Season 2 is a progression of many years. I have tried to bring my own flavours to the character while keeping the essence of the history intact. It's my baby, and I have nurtured it till the release. After that, it's for the audience to see and judge. I am grateful for this opportunity and can't wait for the audience to see the show. Also playing a father for the first time in my life was an interesting experience, and I hope to do justice to the character." 

Aashim Gulati also reflects on his experience working with the legendary actor Naseeruddin Shah in ‘Taj’ and says, "From the very first reading of the script to the time I finished shooting, I felt a mix of nervousness and intimidation. I knew that I had to bring my A-game to the table and couldn't afford to fumble. However, it was more like Salim standing in front of Akbar, rather than Aashim standing in front of Naseer sir. It wasn't Naseer sir who was intimidating, but his body of work that made me feel a bit edgy. To ease my nerves, I hoodwinked my mind to believe that it is 'Salim and Akbar', not Aashim and Naseer Sir in a face off.  That helped me stay focused on my character and therefore the performance." 

The actor also opened up about his past choices of working in television, saying that he didn't want to turn down any opportunities and aimed to achieve both financial stability and creative satisfaction. He also shared that he once lost a job to someone who had a larger social media following than him, and that experience taught him to adapt to the changing times by improving his social media presence. 

‘Taj Season 2’ promises to be a thrilling ride, and Aashim Gulati's portrayal of Salim is sure to impress audiences with its depth and authenticity.  'Taj - Reign of Revenge', the follow-up season of ZEE5’s original series 'Taj - Divided by Blood', will start streaming on ZEE5 from May 12.