Zero Made him a Hero: The struggles of Syed Saleem Zaidi aka Tillu of Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain!

Syed Saleem Zaidi

This dude has completed MA in Psychology with a Post Graduation in Journalism & Mass Communications, and was a Radio Jockey with FM Gold Aakashwani Delhi. He was selected by All India Radio - as an approved Radio Drama Artist during 2008. In 2010 when Air held nationwide audition from among over thousand applicants only four were chosen of which Syed Saleem Zaidi was one of them.

Have done freelance theatre with M. S. Satyu his first drama was ‘Dara Shikoh'written by Danish Iqbal where he played Jehangir, ‘Ek Thi Amrita' and others like ‘Sahir Ludhianvi' and ‘Dulari Bhai'.

In 2013, Syed Saleem Zaidi came to Mumbai during the release of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and began actively pursuing auditions. He got his first break in Mumbai with an advertisement for SBI featuring along with Namit Das. He then appeared in a promo of Kaun Banega Karodpati with Amitabh Bachchan that was directed by Nitesh Tiwari. Subsequently he also bagged the Renault Car Advertisement opposite Ranbir Kapoor.

In Television serials, he got the first break in a sitcom ‘Jeannie Aur Juju' playing the character of Barfi upto the end of this show in 2014. It was around the end of 2014 that he was selected for playing the character of Tillu right at the beginning of the Television show ‘Bhabhiji Ghar Pe Hai', directed by Shashank Bali and written by Manoj Santoshi.

This was the turning point of his professional career. "While it was Manoj Santoshi who perfectly etched out the character of Tillu as a guy from Delhi 6 or a typical guy from Rampur. I shall attribute the famous catchphrase of 'Kasam Kha Ke Ke Rahiya Hoon, Gurde Chill Loonga" to the writer and more so to the director Shashank Bali who craftily adapted the voice and style of Tillu," Saleem fondly recollects.

Further going back into nostalgia, he mentioned, "If I recall my college days during 2004-5 that I used to play cricket for North Zone Inter-University matches where I averaged 50-60 runs per innings. However to my bad luck whenever the selection process was on during certain matches, I got out for a duck. Even during the next year's selection I again got out on Zero. Now this made me realize that the Supreme Power must be having other plans for my future. My elder brother Adil Zaidi immediately called me to Delhi to pursue Mass Communications during which period I got into All India Radio." So here is our HERO who rose from ZERO.

This is the journey of a Son of a teacher from Rampur to Delhi and then from Delhi to Mumbai during the release of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag right upto a point of recognition of his work in Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hai as the character of Tillu which has made him a household name across India and overseas too.

He has been getting several offers to work in shows for the OTT Platform which he isn't sure if he would take up saying, "Most of the characters these days on OTT shows are either dark shaded or those using swear words, which is not in my blood as I recollect my childhood where I lost my mother at an early age and it was my school teacher father who single handedly brought us up in life cultivating family values in my siblings consisting of 6 Brothers and 3 sisters.

Syed Saleem Zaidi aka ‘Tillu' for the masses credits his success to his brother Adil Zaidi and his elder sister Farah Zaidi, but not before wrapping up his life's journey to his brother Azeem Zaidi who is more of a friend for him lending support during all the ups and downs of his professional career.