Aashim Gulati is ready for a face-off with Naseeruddin Shah in Taj Season 2

Actor Aashim Gulati is all set for the 2nd season of Taj, which takes off 15 years after the end of the first season. The series 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.

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. "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 history intact. It's my baby, and I have nurtured it till release. Also playing a father for the first time in my life was an interesting experience," says Aashim.

On sharing his experience working with the legendary actor Naseeruddin Shah in Taj Aashim 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 couldn't afford to fumble. However, it was more like Salim standing in front of Akbar, rather than Aashim standing in front of Naseeruddin. It wasn't Naseeruddin Shah 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 opens up about his past choices of working in television, saying that he didn't want to turn down any opportunities and aimed at achieving 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 - Reign of Revenge will start streaming on ZEE5 on May 12