Image instagrammed by Sharmin Segal. (courtesy: SharminSegal)
Taha Shah Badussha is the toast of the town thanks to his compelling performance in Heeramandi as a young Nawab, Tajdar Baloch, in love with Alamzeb, a courtesan. While the internet is flooded with videos and posts praising his work in the show, fans have not been as kind to his co-star Sharmin Segal, who plays his love interest Alamzeb in the Netflix series. The general consensus is that Sharmin Segal has failed to do justice to the role of Alamzeb, one of the chief characters of the show. FYI: Alamzeb is the daughter of Mallikajaan, played by Manisha Koirala, the show's central character. Since the release, Sharmin Segal has been subjected to widespread trolling, forcing her to disable comments on her Instagram posts. The fact that she is the niece of the show's creator Sanjay Leela Bhansali has only added to the criticism. Speaking up against the trolling that Sharmin Segal is facing, Taha told ZoomTV that it is unfair to compare her to seasoned actresses like Manisha Koirala.
Explaining that he was not aware that Sharmin Segal was being trolled, Taha Shah said: “I didn't know that. She has done two films. I feel she follows the method of keeping it subtle at times. I have worked with her and I do know as an actor she has tried her best. I literally felt that people would not give me any love, but not the way I am getting. So, the audience can react in a very unpredictable way, to be very honest. As far as Sharmin and her performance is concerned - I lived with her literally on set. She was always punctual. She was always there on time. She was always trying to do her best. How it comes off to the audience is a different ball game altogether and I can't comment on that. But I know she has got a great heart. She was always present on set and as an actor that's all you need"
The actor added: "Of course, you can't compare someone like her, who is even much newer than me, to Manisha ma'am, Sonakshi Sinha or even Aditi (Rao Hydari). Manisha Ma'am has been there for ages. She has worked with the best of the best directors, and best of the best actors. So, people learn over time. I'm sure If the audience found fault in her, I'm sure she would do better. I know she wants to learn."
Before this, Shruti Sharma who plays Saima, a young lady who works in the kitchens of Shahi Mahal and serves as one of Alamzeb's trusted confidants in Heeramandi also spoke up in defence of Sharmin Segal. She told Pinkvilla, “Honestly, I wasn't aware that people were trolling her until now. I don't know what audiences have liked or not liked about Sharmin, but I've seen her trying her best like everyone else on the sets. It doesn't matter who's being trolled, but trolling is a bad thing to do. Criticism is one thing; healthy criticism is always welcome, but trolling is unacceptable. It is a very negative way of approaching anyone. It is a kind of mental harassment. If it is happening, I am very concerned for her right now."
The rising chatter of nepotism around Sharmin Segal and some trolls even calling her “expressionless” has not deterred the actress from sharing several BTS pictures on Instagram. The comments section, however, remains disabled. Read the complete story here.
While Sharmin Segal made her acting debut in the 2019 film Malaal, Taha Shah Badussha is known for his work in projects such as Luv Ka The End, Gippi, and Baar Baar Dekho, among others.