Badshah was a govt officer before turning into one of the richest singers in India; How a retiring senior's advice changed everything

Before his music career took off, Badshah was a 23-year-old government officer posted in Sundar Nagar, Himachal Pradesh. In a recent conversation on the Curly Tales series, rapper Badshah broke down the psychological shift required to move from a middle-class government upbringing to a life of extreme luxury. From his days in Himachal Pradesh to his impulsive high-end purchases, he detailed the moments that defined his relationship with wealth.

Civil Service to Stardom

Reflecting on his past, Badshah recalled his time as a 23-year-old government officer in Himachal Pradesh, he recalled an incident during a farewell for a retiring Financial Commissioner, an IAS officer. Badshah asked a question that shocked his senior colleagues: "Sir, when a businessman or an athlete drives a Mercedes, people say he’s hardworking. But when a government official drives one, they say he’s a thief. Why is that?". He was told by colleagues to sit down, but the Commissioner gave him a profound answer.

The Commissioner’s reply—that it depends on what that "Mercedes" represents in your specific life—stayed with him. Badshah noted that while his father worked his entire life just to secure a stable government job for his son, even using contacts to make it happen, his mother was the one who pushed him to "think big." He described the mind as a muscle that needs to be trained to perceive higher possibilities, moving past the middle-class mindset of "not flying too high."

The Rolls Royce 'Impulse' Purchase

Badshah detailed the moment he decided to add a Rs 12.45 crore Rolls Royce Cullinan to his collection, describing it as an act of pure, unfiltered impulse. He claimed the decision took no more than a "flat 10 seconds," during which he suddenly decided that he simply had to have the car that very day. "I just decided today is the day," he said.

However, he revealed that the psychological "high" of such an elite purchase is surprisingly short-lived. He stated that the intense feeling of luxury and the sensation of being a "Badshah" (King) while sitting in the new car lasts for only about 10 to 15 minutes. After that brief window of excitement, he admitted that the thrill completely fades, and his mind immediately shifts to the next goal, asking, "What next?"

Stolen Rolexes and Watch Security

The rapper also spoke about the anxiety and protective measures surrounding his high-end watch collection, which he admits requires a level of attention bordering on the obsessive. He shared that he has already suffered the heartbreak of losing two luxury timepieces, including his very first Rolex. "My first-ever Rolex was either stolen or I lost it; it was very special to me," he shared, admitting the deep regret he felt over the loss. He remains unsure if the watch was stolen or simply vanished, but he described the loss as deeply painful because of its sentimental value as his first major luxury milestone.

Because of these losses, Badshah mentioned a constant, heightened need to guard his pieces. When asked how far he goes to protect his investments, he acknowledged the "extra" lengths he feels forced to go to, including the need for dedicated security or bodyguards to protect his watches and sneakers from being misplaced or taken. Despite the vastness of his current collection, he confessed that when he looks at luxury watch guides, he often tells himself he needs "more and more money" to keep up with the pieces he still desires.

he explained that while he loves material things, he places a higher value on human connection. He stated that if a close friend were to crash his expensive car, his first reaction would be to check if the friend is safe. "I value my relationships more than my material things," he said, though he jokingly added he’d "beat them up" afterward.