Tahir Raj Bhasin on how outsiders like him have drawn strength and courage from Shah Rukh Khan

Bollywood actor Tahir Raj Bhasin, who is a die-hard fan of superstar Shah Rukh Khan, admits that Khan’s struggle to reach the top of the Bollywood ladder has been a source of inspiration and courage for him.

Bhasin, like SRK, hails from New Delhi and he credits the talismanic superstar for paving the way for fellow outsiders to dream big in Bollywood. Coincidentally, his recently released Netflix show Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhen (YKKA), has been named after the chartbuster track from SRK’s runaway blockbuster Baazigar (1993).

“I think every young actor in India aspires to get the love and fan following that someone like Shah Rukh Khan commands. SRK is not only a megastar he is an emotion. For me, Shah Rukh Khan sir was always inspirational and his journey has always been a source of strength. I came to Mumbai from New Delhi, just like him. He was a total outsider with absolutely no godfathers and it’s no secret that I didn’t know a single soul in Bollywood when I came to the city,” Bhasin said.

The actor went on to add, “What drives me to deliver powerful performances on screen is the love and the trust the audience has in me to be a clutter breaker. Now, I’m playing a romantic lead in Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhen and it’s such an amazing coincidence that the title of the show is based on one of his biggest chartbusters from Baazigar. I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard the name of the show. For someone who really respects and idolises SRK, this is too good to be true!”

About the significance of the SRK song in YKKA, Bhasin says, “The title of YKKA fits aptly with the show’s complex theme of love, betrayal, and vengeance and its tragic power structure. It’s almost poetic. I remember that, when I was offered the project, I used to play the song every single day in the morning for about a month or so. It just filled me with so much joy. It felt like I have arrived in the industry if I’m doing a project that has used SRK’s song as the title. I’m thoroughly enjoying my journey exploring the romantic genre and nothing gets better when you have an SRK blockbuster song to fuel that passion on screen.”

Bhasin will next be seen in the much-awaited heist rom-com Looop Lapeta, set to premiere on Netflix on February 4, 2022.

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