Mumbai’s Ganpati is grand, but Delhi’s Diwali is dazzling: Taahir Raj Bhasin

Taahir Raj Bhasin reminisces about Delhi’s grand Diwali celebrations, card parties and favourite haunts, while reflecting on career choices and future roles

For actor Taahir Raj Bhasin, Diwali in Delhi is not just a festival; it is a city-wide celebration that feels like a wedding. Having moved to Mumbai at 23 to pursue acting, the actor says he still prefers being in the Capital during the festive season whenever his shooting schedule allows.

Taahir Raj Bhasin

“Though Bombay is all about the extravaganza of Ganpati, people in Mumbai don’t understand Diwali. In Delhi, the city completely transforms. It’s like one big wedding ceremony, with all the streets lit up and markets looking festive and decked with lights. If I’m not shooting, my preference is always to be in Delhi for Diwali because that vibe is unmatched anywhere in the world,” he says.

And that one tradition that particularly makes him nostalgic is Delhi’s Diwali card parties. “My favourite Diwali memory, and this only Delhi people will understand, are the card parties. They start 15 days before Diwali. So I’m already getting FOMO because I have messages from friends inviting me to their card parties, and some saying that they’ve started playing cards already an I am missing out on hat fun,” he says.

Beyond Diwali, exploring the city is always on his to-do list. He likes to “revisit familiar places while discovering how rapidly the city is changing”. “Humayun’s Tomb holds memories of college picnics, while Lodhi Garden remains a favourite escape... My generation is the sort of pre-malls generation, where we were really used to using public spaces to hang out,” he says, recalling spending time at monuments and parks before catching a film or meeting friends at Khan Market.

From coffee at Depaul’s to momos in Chanakyapuri, his old haunts remain close to his heart. If he had an entire day free in the Capital, he would begin with a jog at Lodhi Garden, head to Defence Colony for breakfast, stop for gelato and rolls at Khan Market, and wind down at Sunder Nursery before exploring Hauz Khas Village.

While Delhi remains home, Mumbai has taught him patience. Bhasin recalls arriving in the city at 23, expecting projects to move much faster than they do. “When you shoot a project, it often takes months for it to be edited, go through post-production and colour, and then release. Patience is something that you learn with time in this industry,” he says.

And sometimes you have to turn down projects despite the lure of the money. But he also has no regrets about turning down projects. “The journey is too short to be looking over your shoulder,” he says, adding that in Mumbai, “your nos are as important as your yes-es. One has to know that it is as important to pass on stories not worth doing as it is to choose the ones to pursue.

For now, he wants to pursue, “as slice-of-life drama would be amazing,” he says, and a “comedy-drama that would be diametrically opposite to the crime thriller” Mardaani. He is also keen to explore detective dramas, particularly a role involving an investigative agency and solving crimes

He adds that he prefers stories that challenge familiar formulas, “It is an artist’s job to take risks, and I enjoy telling clutter-breaking stories,” perspective. .