Dhaka left me speechless: A BADSHAH exclusive

For many of my generation, the word 'Badshah,' which translates to 'emperor' in Hindi, only revolves around one man - Shah Rukh Khan. Every time I hear the word, my mind plays the scene where 'Baadshah' slowly drops to the stage on an elevator, with his arms spread out wide in iconic SRK fashion, singing 'Baadshah O Baadshah' — the title track of the 1999 Bollywood blockbuster of the same name.

"I believe I have done enough to make the name my own," is what BADSHAH had said a couple of months ago in an interview before his first-ever show in London. If you were anywhere near the ICCB Expo Zone last night, you'd certainly have heard thousands in the audience chanting 'BADSHAH' at the top of their lungs – a true testament to an artist who certainly has made an 'identity' of his own.

BADSHAH's trip to Dhaka had been a journey filled with uncertainty. His recent schedule had been a whirlwind of tours and recording sessions, and his flight to Dhaka suffered multiple delays. Despite the quick turnaround and little to no rest, pulling off such a show under tight time constraints was no simple task. 

As BADSHAH made his way back to the airport to board his return flight to Mumbai after a relentless 75-minute performance in his first show in Dhaka, he generously made time to answer a few questions.

Photo: Courtesy

Naturally, the first topic of our conversation touched upon the difficulty of this feat and his lived experience of these short-haul trips to smaller cities, particularly performing for the first time before an excited Dhaka audience. 

To BADSHAH, live performances are about just letting his guard down and allowing himself to get soaked in that positive energy from the fans. "I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I live for those 90 minutes of unconditional love and support. 

To witness over 70,000 people singing your words back to you, there's nothing more powerful and intoxicating," he explained. 

For BADSHAH, this is the life he chose – a life of relentless schedule where he's moving from studio to studio making new music, and from one country to the next playing his music for new fans. Performing live is what keeps him going.

"This is not just my bread and butter, but my passion for my craft and the community. Performing live is my favourite part of my entire profession. Most of the time I'm recording in the studio and for the remainder of the time I make very little effort in stepping out for social commitments," he said.

Having performed around the globe and experienced the music industry's diverse landscapes, how did the Dhaka crowd fare in his eyes?

"Dhaka left me speechless. 

I am extremely happy and grateful that I got an opportunity to perform in Dhaka and meet all my lovely fans in person. I'm always looking forward to touring new regions because that in a way allows me to explore new cultures and new musical landscapes," replied BADSHAH.

Photo: Courtesy

Dhaka's concert scene has been lively with regular tours by Indian artists recently. However, at times, the quality of the shows fell short of expectations. Typically, Dhaka's audience is hard to impress, but BADSHAH's concert was an exception as most were left satisfied and fully entertained. 

It's rare for events at the ICCB to run on schedule, but Friday was different– the evening neatly wrapped up by 10 pm.

BADSHAH started off his set with 'Paagal' and there was adrenaline from minute one. However, as expected, the song that struck the best chord with the audience last night was 'Genda Phool'— the reason being that the chorus is actually in Bangla and for sure it was a unique and humbling experience for BADSHAH to perform the track in front a Bangla speaking audience. 

BADSHAH's upbeat tunes oozes energy and Friday was no different. The singer, in his own words, said the energy from his audience last night was, "Ten on ten!"

"The atmosphere was electric, the people were warm and hospitable. I don't like comparing the audiences in cities I perform in because every set of audience has its individuality and I respect that," continued BADSHAH.

"Dhaka's fans, with their distinctive spirit, did not disappoint. I'm thankful for the fans who invested their time and money to support my debut show in Bangladesh, and I'm glad to have brought a few hours of joy into their lives."

There were moments during the show where BADSHAH interacted with the crowd. During the brief moments he had in between songs, the musician tried a few simple one-liners in Bangla that certainly got the crowd going — including the "Kemon Acho Dhaka" and "Ami tomake Bhalobashi Dhaka" fun exchanges between the crowd and the artist.

"It's a very unconditional exchange," the musician added.

Is there anything special you would remember or carry home from his brief visit to Dhaka? 

"The love and support of the fans mean everything to me, it's what I hope to take back from every country where I perform. I'm blessed with abundance by the grace of God, and the appreciation of my fans is all I seek. I'm committed to never disappointing my audience," he said.

Even though BADSHAH only had a few hours in Dhaka, he was smart not to miss out on the culinary delicacies the city had to offer. "I loved to see so much culture in Dhaka and I enjoyed the curry and rice specialities. It's definitely an architectural landmark that has an old-world charm," he said.

BADSHAH is back in the studio and is working on his upcoming projects. His new album, which he says is a gesture of appreciation towards his fans who have supported him unconditionally throughout the years, is just on the verge of completion.

"I have my third studio album coming up and I've worked for over one year on this project. There is an interesting line-up of collaborators from the South Asian music community. There are a lot of 'firsts' I'm attempting with this album and I've ventured into uncharted territories," revealed BADSHAH.

On the touring front, BADSHAH has just announced his US and Canada tours, which is a milestone moment for him since this would mark his debut in North America.

"It's a lifelong dream that has finally come to fruition," said an excited BADSHAH. 

On the non-music front, the singer is looking to expand his business interests and is already in talks that he expects to materialise by the end of 2024. "I've already invested in hospitality, fashion [and] sports and I'd like to explore newer business avenues too," he said.

Will we see you perform again in Dhaka? "Why not? The performing life is the only life I've ever known! The next time around, I'll bring in a bigger entourage of singers and dancers!" he replied.