THE two projects closest to Taha Shah Badussha are his 2011 Bollywood debut Love Ka The End and his recent first film in the west, Draupadi Unleashed.
That versatility also extends to winning performances on the web space and he is now set to expand his horizons further.
Eastern Eye caught up with the actor to discuss his lockdown life lessons, Hollywood debut, happiness and future plans.
You have acted in various mediums, but what one would you say you enjoy most?
It was the dream to watch myself on the silver screen that made me take a leap of faith in the world of acting. Having said that, I believe all mediums are equally important today. You could do 10 films that release theatrically, but then one Netflix original or HBO Max series may end up making you the next big thing. That unpredictability is the beauty of this business.
Is finding good projects the biggest challenge?
A great project is always a blessing. As for it being a challenge, it’s a very competitive industry and the early bird always gets the worm. It also depends on so many other factors, including casting decisions, the producer’s preferences and physical looks. Personally, for me, a project completely depends upon the script. If the script is good and I know my character will inspire me to push my performance boundaries, I take it up.
What was the experience of working on Hollywood film Draupadi Unleashed like?
It was surreal – a film shot in Florida, with a story set in 1930s India.
The sets in Tampa felt like home. I am ever so grateful to Tony Stopperan for being so encouraging as a director and it was surprising to see how well he understood and interpreted Nisha’s (Sabharwal) novel and the characters for the screen. Everything from the production experience to the flow of the project felt different. And I am glad I will be able to do more of that soon.
What can we expect next from you?
I have two singles lined up. These are amazing numbers sure to make you groove. I just wrapped a short format series with an OTT platform and my next Hollywood indie is in post-production. The film is set in Cold War America and I can’t wait for the world to watch it.
Tell us about Bekaaboo season 2?
Bekaaboo 2 is filled with twists and unpredictable turns. It’s a psycho-thriller that promises a spine-chilling experience. I play Novin who is an ambitious and confident man obsessed with love, and is never scared of taking risks. He loves the thrill in pain and the vice-versa of it. I had a fantastic time shooting this one. The character’s multi-layered arc made it interesting for me to say yes in the first place.
What is your dream role?
Superheroes. John Snow. Tony Stark. Captain America. I ain’t practicing those acrobatics and martial arts for a decade for nothing. (Laughs) Disney, HBO, you listening? What these guys do on screen is mad, touching, crazy, fun and a rollercoaster all jammed in one. I would also love to go up against the Karate Kid in the Netflix show.
What kind of content do you enjoy watching as a viewer?
Superhero, animation, action, drama, you name it. I am a sucker for
content with a wide spectrum. I might watch Scarface repeatedly for the feel of it or just indulge in an Avengers fiesta. I love good storytelling. Might have shed a tear every time I watched Titanic and simultaneously play the Indian Thor or Spidey. Throw me anything Leonardo Di Caprio, Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep and you will be my new best friend.
What is the biggest life lesson lockdown has taught?
To be self-sufficient, to learn to love your own company and the importance of loved ones. Being away from my family was the toughest. I was in Los Angeles when coronavirus took us all by surprise. I learned to cook, turned my whole house into a workout space and was in constant touch with my family scattered across the globe. I focused on improving my skill sets. I realised your time is limited here and to make the most of it.
What is your idea of happiness?
Happiness is the laughter of the love of my life, the warmth of my mom’s cuddle and the tricks pulled by my two-year-old nephew Ayaan. Happiness is knowing my family has my back no matter what and that the ones I cherish want me to succeed, no matter the sacrifice.
Multiple Aldi products recalled due to metal contamination and undeclared allergens
Affected items include seafood, taquitos, pork carnitas, vitamins, and churro bites
Customers in 37 US states advised to discard or return products
No related illnesses reported to date
Safety warnings prompt widespread Aldi product recall
Aldi has issued a series of product recalls across 37 US states following safety concerns involving undeclared allergens and potential contamination. The supermarket chain, in collaboration with suppliers and federal agencies, is urging customers to dispose of or return specific food and health products for a full refund.
The recalls are part of ongoing efforts to mitigate consumer health risks associated with allergen exposure and foreign matter contamination.
Products under recall
Casa Mamita Chicken & Cheese Taquitos
Recalled in partnership with Bestway Sandwiches Inc. due to possible metal contamination. Affected 20-oz boxes (UPC 4061459337471) with best-by dates of 07/03/25 and 09/25/25 were sold in 31 states.
Park Street Deli Pork Carnitas
Pulled from shelves on 21 April in association with Cargill Meat Solutions Corp, the 16 oz trays (UPC 4099100029352) were recalled due to metal contamination concerns. Affected use-by dates are 06/30/25 and 07/01/25. Available in 15 states.
Atlantic Salmon Portions with Seafood Stuffing
Manufactured by Santa Monica Seafood, this product was recalled on 27 May after undeclared soy was found. Distributed to Aldi branches in California, Nevada, and Arizona.
Casa Mamita Churro Bites Filled with Chocolate Hazelnut Cream
Recalled on 4 June by Camerican International after undeclared milk allergen was detected. Available in 13 states including Alabama, Florida, Illinois, and Tennessee.
Welby Vitamin B12
Recalled on 13 June by RV Pharma due to the presence of undeclared peanut allergen. Sold at Aldi stores across 37 states.
Health implications and expert comment
The recalls highlight the severity of risks posed by undeclared allergens. Even trace amounts can trigger significant reactions in allergic individuals.
Dr. Sebastian Lighvani, director at New York Allergy & Asthma PLLC, previously explained to Newsweek: “The allergic response is triggered when the immune system wrongly identifies a harmless substance – like milk or peanuts – as a threat, releasing inflammatory mediators that can have profound effects.”
Aldi reinforced its commitment to customer safety in a public statement: “While ALDI is committed to providing only the best quality at the lowest prices, our top priority is the safety of you and your family.”
What consumers should do
Customers who have purchased any of the recalled items are advised to:
Cease consumption immediately
Discard affected products or return them to Aldi for a full refund
Individuals who have experienced illness or allergic reactions after consuming the products should contact a healthcare provider and report their case to the FDA MedWatch programme.
Ongoing recall updates will be posted on Aldi’s official newsroom and associated government safety sites.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.
She is wearing a turquoise dress with a rainforest-themed print featuring monkeys, toucans, and lemurs
Queen Camilla turns 78 and is expected to celebrate privately at home
Official birthday portrait taken at Raymill House, Wiltshire
Outfit features rainforest-themed print; jewellery includes iconic diamond ring
Recent royal duties include state visits, Trooping the Colour, and military engagements
Appointed Vice Admiral of the UK on the same day
Queen Camilla marks birthday with relaxed countryside portrait
A new photograph of Queen Camilla has been released by Buckingham Palace to mark her 78th birthday. The image, captured by royal photographer Chris Jackson, shows the Queen leaning on a metal gate in a field at her private home, Raymill House, in Wiltshire.
She is wearing a turquoise dress with a rainforest-themed print featuring monkeys, toucans, and lemurs. Her accessories include gold drop earrings, her wedding band, a five-carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring, and a distinctive gold ring composed of circular plaques.
Private birthday after a year of public engagements
Unlike last year, when Queen Camilla carried out official duties on her birthday during the State Opening of Parliament, this year’s occasion is expected to be celebrated in private.
The photo, taken earlier this month, provides a personal glimpse of the Queen in a more relaxed setting, offering contrast to a busy few months of public service.
A year of significant royal activity
Earlier this year, Queen Camilla and King Charles III celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. Despite the King’s ongoing cancer treatment, the couple have maintained a strong presence in national and international events.
Recent engagements have included:
Hosting French President Emmanuel Macron during a UK state visit
Attending Trooping the Colour in June
Visiting Canada in May for the opening of the country’s parliament
This week, the Queen also visited a children’s hospice in Devon and HMS Astute, a nuclear-powered Royal Navy submarine, docked in Plymouth.
A one-of-a-kind birthday gift from the Royal Navy
While aboard HMS Astute, Queen Camilla received a unique birthday present from Commander Christopher Bate: a roll of clingfilm mounted in a commemorative holder. The material had previously been used to fix a defect in the submarine’s main engines. A plaque on the holder read: “Clingfilm keeping nuclear submarines at sea.”
Camilla appeared amused and appreciative, remarking: “There's nothing more useful, brilliant, how wonderful.”
Royal Navy honour on birthday
On the same day as her visit to HMS Astute, it was announced that Queen Camilla had been appointed Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom. The honorary military title recognises her continuing support of the Royal Navy and its service personnel.
The new portrait and the appointment reflect both the personal and public aspects of Queen Camilla’s evolving royal role as she enters her 79th year.
Keep ReadingShow less
8 babies have been born in the UK using genetic material from 3 people
Eight babies were born in the UK using DNA from three individuals to prevent mitochondrial disease
The technique combines egg and sperm from parents with mitochondria from a donor egg
Legal in the UK since 2015; results show children are meeting expected milestones
One in 5,000 babies are born with mitochondrial disease; no known cure exists
Newcastle scientists pioneered the technique, now used under NHS specialist service
UK births mark milestone in preventing inherited mitochondrial disease
Eight babies have been born in the UK using genetic material from three people in a pioneering effort to prevent incurable mitochondrial disease, doctors have confirmed. The technique, developed by researchers in Newcastle, represents a significant breakthrough in reproductive medicine and genetic science.
These births are the first proven cases in the UK of healthy children being born free of devastating mitochondrial disorders thanks to this technique, which has been legal in the country since 2015.
Mitochondrial disease, affecting about one in every 5,000 births, can cause heart failure, seizures, blindness, and early death. The newly available technique offers families affected by the condition the chance to break the cycle and give birth to children without the disease.
How the process works
The procedure involves combining the egg and sperm from the biological parents with healthy mitochondria from a donor egg. Both the mother's and the donor's eggs are fertilised with the father's sperm in a laboratory. The resulting embryos are carefully processed: the nuclear DNA from the parents is transferred into the donor's embryo, which contains healthy mitochondria but had its own nuclear DNA removed.
The resulting embryo is mostly composed of the parents' genetic material but includes a small fraction—about 0.1%—of DNA from the donor. This change is heritable and would be passed on by any female offspring.
Results and reactions
A report published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirmed that 22 families have undergone the procedure through the Newcastle Fertility Centre. Eight babies have been born so far—four boys and four girls, including a pair of twins—with one pregnancy still ongoing.
None of the children have shown signs of mitochondrial disease and all are developing normally, meeting their expected milestones. One child experienced a self-resolving case of epilepsy, while another is being treated for a non-related heart rhythm condition. Doctors have not linked these instances to the mitochondrial technique.
Parents involved in the programme have chosen to remain anonymous but shared written statements expressing gratitude. "After years of uncertainty, this treatment gave us hope—and then it gave us our baby," one mother said. Another noted: "The emotional burden of mitochondrial disease has been lifted, and in its place is hope, joy, and deep gratitude."
Monitoring and concerns
Intensive follow-up is being carried out to monitor the long-term health of these children. In five cases, no diseased mitochondria were detected in blood or urine samples. In three other cases, between 5% and 20% of faulty mitochondria were identified—well below the 80% threshold typically associated with disease.
While these results are encouraging, researchers emphasise the need for further investigation into how to minimise the transfer of defective mitochondria during the process. "The findings give grounds for optimism," said Professor Mary Herbert of Newcastle and Monash University, "but further research is essential to improve treatment outcomes."
Ethical and legislative landscape
The UK was the first country in the world to legalise mitochondrial donation after Parliament approved the procedure in 2015. This marked a controversial but decisive step in reproductive ethics, as the addition of donor mitochondrial DNA results in heritable genetic change.
Concerns at the time centred around the possibility of creating genetically modified "designer babies". However, scientists and medical professionals involved in the procedure have been keen to stress its limited and therapeutic purpose.
"This is the only place in the world this could have happened," said Professor Sir Doug Turnbull of Newcastle University. "There’s been world-class science, legislation, NHS support, and now we have eight children free of mitochondrial disease. What a wonderful result."
Hope for the future
Families affected by mitochondrial disease have hailed the development as a major breakthrough. Kat Kitto, whose daughter Poppy, 14, lives with the condition, described its impact: "We have a lovely time as she is, but there are moments where you realise how devastating mitochondrial disease is."
Her older daughter Lily, 16, may benefit from the technique in the future: "It's the future generations like myself, or my children, who can have that outlook of a normal life."
The NHS Highly Specialised Service for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders, which oversees the procedures, expects demand for 20 to 30 such births annually. The Lily Foundation, a charity supporting families affected by mitochondrial disease, called the births a long-awaited step forward. "For many affected families, it's the first real hope of breaking the cycle of this inherited condition," said founder Liz Curtis.
While challenges remain, the birth of these eight children free from mitochondrial disease stands as a landmark achievement in modern medicine—and a beacon of hope for future generations.
Keep ReadingShow less
The rollout is part of Sainsbury’s broader Nectar Prices strategy
Sainsbury’s will roll out Your Nectar Prices to physical checkouts nationwide from 25 July.
Scheme gives loyalty members access to personalised discounts based on shopping habits.
Over 17 billion tailored offers generated since launch; £60m saved by customers in the last year.
More than one million shoppers currently use the feature weekly.
Offers now available in-store, online, via app, and soon, at checkout.
Sainsbury's brings personalised loyalty savings directly to the tills
Sainsbury’s will extend its Your Nectar Prices programme to checkouts across the UK starting Friday, 25 July. The move allows Nectar members to receive personalised discounts directly at the tills for the first time, as part of the retailer’s continued investment in digital loyalty.
The supermarket has already issued over 17 billion tailored offers since launching the scheme, with more than one million customers using it weekly. According to the retailer, these offers have helped shoppers collectively save £60 million over the past year.
Previously, Your Nectar Prices was available only through the SmartShop app, Sainsbury’s website, and the Nectar app. Now, with the expansion to checkouts, the scheme becomes more accessible to in-store customers.
How it works
To take advantage of the Your Nectar Prices discounts, customers must be digitally registered with Nectar. Each Friday, users need to “tap to unlock” their personalised deals via the Nectar app or website. Once activated, the offers are automatically applied at checkout – in-store or online.
Shoppers can receive up to 10 tailored discounts per week, based on their regular buying habits. Sainsbury’s estimates these could amount to savings of over £150 annually per customer.
A key milestone in loyalty personalisation
Mark Given, Chief Marketing, Data & Sustainability Officer at Sainsbury’s, commented on the expansion:
“Over the past few years, we’ve made significant strides with Nectar, with Nectar Prices being a big part of that success, bringing great value to millions of customers.
But what really sets us apart is that we’re leading the way by making loyalty personal. Shoppers want to feel recognised and rewarded and while Nectar Prices are for everyone, we know our customers love an offer that is made just for them.”
“Every week over a million customers are making the most of their personalised discounts and, by rolling this out to our checkouts, we’re opening the door for millions more to grab fantastic offers on the items they already purchase and maybe even discover some new favourites.”
Part of the wider Sainsbury Nectar Prices strategy
The rollout is part of Sainsbury’s broader Nectar Prices strategy, which offers savings on thousands of everyday items to all Nectar cardholders. The retailer encourages customers to use both the standard and personalised offers for maximum benefit.
Your Nectar Prices, launched four years ago, covers a wide range of categories including fresh food, household essentials, health & beauty, baby items, and pet care.
Keep ReadingShow less
The Palm House, along with the neighbouring Waterlily House, will be transformed
Kew Gardens will shut its iconic Palm House for up to four years
Grade I-listed building to undergo major restoration as part of net-zero strategy
Gas boilers to be replaced with modern heat pumps
Rare plant collection, including 45 endangered species, to be relocated during works
Palm House and Waterlily House will become the first net-zero glasshouses globally
Historic Palm House to undergo major upgrade
Kew Gardens will temporarily close one of its most recognisable landmarks, the Grade I-listed Palm House, for up to four years as part of an ambitious net-zero redevelopment plan. Opened in 1848, the glasshouse is home to a globally significant collection of tropical plants and houses the world’s oldest potted plant—an Encephalartos altensteinii dating back to 1775.
The Palm House, along with the neighbouring Waterlily House, will be transformed into the world’s first net-zero glasshouses through a large-scale renovation focused on improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.
Plans to modernise historic infrastructure
The project, submitted last week to Richmond-upon-Thames borough council, will replace ageing gas boilers—installed more than 100 years ago—with modern heat pumps. These upgrades are designed to help Kew Gardens meet its sustainability targets while preserving the conditions required to house rare tropical species.
Each pane of glass in the structure will be removed and recycled. New, more robust glazing will be fitted using advanced sealants designed to retain heat and humidity, crucial for plant survival.
The Palm House’s iron ribs will also be stripped, repaired and repainted in the original colour used when the structure first opened.
Funding for the scheme will come from a combination of grants and private investment.
Protecting rare and endangered plant life
During the renovation, the entire plant collection—comprising towering palms, passion plants, and 45 species at risk of extinction—will be carefully relocated to temporary glasshouses to ensure their survival.
Tom Pickering, head of glasshouse collections at Kew, described the project as both a dream and a major responsibility. “The aim is to make the Palm House energy efficient while retaining all the magic of what it is today in terms of planting and horticulture,” he said.
Reviving a global icon with modern innovation
Richard Deverell, director of Kew Gardens, emphasised the urgency of the work, saying: “The Palm House and Waterlily House represented the latest in design and build at the time of their construction, but they are showing serious signs of deterioration and are not at all energy efficient.”
“Without urgent work, these iconic listed buildings and the vital tropical plants they protect are at risk of being lost forever,” he added.
Deverell called the project an “epic opportunity” to combine cutting-edge technology with heritage conservation. He said architects, engineers and Kew’s horticultural team have already spent years developing and testing the features that will help secure the buildings’ future.