How Covid era became a boon for Assam actor in fetching a role along with Dharmendra and Naseeruddin Shah

Actors from Assam have received accolades for their acting skills and the ‘Arranged’ actor Ranjeev Lal Barua is a recent addition to the list.

Well-known actor Ranjeev Lal Barua who hails from Guwahati made his debut in a web series based on the Mughal era named Taj – Divided by Blood, streaming on Zee5. 

Barua is sharing the screen with the biggest names of the bollywood like Dharmendra, Naseeruddin Shah, Rahul Bose, Aditi Rao Hydari, and Zarina Wahab in the web series that premiered on Zee 5 recently.

Barua, who will be essaying the character of Sayyad Hashim Barrah in the series shared his experience while working with the biggest actors in the industry.

“At that time, I had done many movies and short films like ‘Arranged’ on YouTube which became quite famous and was included in a list of the top 10 short films of 2020. I got a call from a casting agency in 2021 and during Covid time they had started video auditions for the role. There were also other actors who got contacted for this role”, Barua told IndiaTodayNE.

“They had told me that it is a very big project and Naseeruddin Shah is also in the series. So I was very excited and had to go to Bombay many times for this show and my other projects including Avrodh and Jaanbaaz which was released on Zee 5 recently. For Taj, I had to go for quite a few times like costume fitting as it is a period drama and they had also asked me for horse riding lessons”. 

“The basic idea about the story was already there but I also asked the casting director if the character is really historical or it is just an imaginative character. ”.

“In 2021, I received a call out of the blue from a big casting agency in Mumbai asking me if I was interested in auditioning for a ‘big’ (read – international Scriptwriters, Director, Cinematographers, Action director, and huge star cast) web series based on the Mughal era. For a part-time actor based out of Guwahati, just to get that call was a thrill in itself. Of course, I sent the audition video without ever hoping of getting the casting call. Turns out that I did! And the journey since the day I was cast till today, including those frantic trips to Mumbai in the middle of covid, those rigorous days of costume fittings, fight rehearsals, and the shoot itself….it’s been nothing short of exhilarating! And then finally I watch the first episode and it just exceeds all my expectations!”, Barua penned down his experience of being part of the show.

“Taj – Divided by Blood streaming from today on ZEE5 is a fantastic watch…and not because I am a small part of it. It’s just a fantastic, massive, opulent show… unlike any I have seen in any Indian OTT to date. The script, the cinematography, the music and sound, the acting…. it's just blowing my mind. Heartful thanks to the people who have supported me in this journey. Do watch Taj – Divided by Blood on Zee5. First episode is free in case you want to check it out before subscribing. And make sure the screen is not too small and the sound is not too low!!!”, Barua further wrote in his social media post.

Regarding the ongoing growth of the Assamese film industry, Barua stated, “Assamese film industry is like a family 'cause everything is so homely, and we cannot compare it with the Mumbai film industry. The culture is really different and everything in there is on time. So what we can learn from the Mumbai film industry is that we have to respect our profession and be disciplined about it in terms of time”.

Taj – Divided by Blood is a series set in the 16th century, where the star follows Akbar and the war of succession among his 3 sons: Salim, Murad, and Daniyal. It is a twisted tale of the struggle for power filled with dangerous politics, poetic beauty, torrid romances, cold treachery, and bloodshed. The show unravels multiple layers of each character in the Mughal dynasty.