Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub: My character is the dark horse of show

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub

Though he did not feature in the first season of the show, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub found himself diving deep into the world of guns and gore with Rangbaaz Phir Se. Coming on board the Zee5 show was an easy decision for the actor since his character was shrewd and sharply written. "Sanjay Singh Meena [his character] is intoxicated by power, corrupt and ruthless; he stops seeing what is right. My character ultimately emerges as the dark horse of the show," says Ayyub of the role that has fetched him a Best Supporting Actor nomination in the upcoming mid-day and Radio City Hitlist Web Awards.

While Jimmy Sheirgill essays the central part of Amarpal Singh, a character reportedly inspired by the Rajasthan gangster Anandpal Singh, Ayyub plays the wily cop with shifting loyalties. "There is a line that differentiates the good from the bad. Once you cross over, your perspective towards life changes; this is what happens to Sanjay Singh Meena. He goes berserk, leading to conflicts, bloodshed and rivalries." The actor, who forays into digital entertainment with the action thriller, has also done the voice-over. "Usually, there is only sutradhar who narrates the story, but the makers had me do the voice-over too," he smiles.

Ayyub reveals that he instantly gave his nod to the show as there was an old connect with the makers. "The show is produced by JAR Pictures, who were the line producers of my debut film, No One Killed Jessica (2011). So, life came a full circle," says the actor, who also features in Faruk Kabir's AbNormal 377, which has been nominated in the Best Web Film category.

More About Rangbaaz Phir Se

• Though the story is set in Rajasthan, Rangbaaz Phir Se was extensively shot in Bhopal.
• Initially, Ayyub was to play another character in the action thriller. However, the makers felt he was the perfect fit for the role of the antagonist.

Cast your vote for the Hitlist Web Awards

Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub has been nominated in the Best Supporting Actor (Male) category for Rangbaaz Phir Se (Zee5). The other nominees are:

• Rajesh Tailang (Selection Day S02; Netflix)
• Vinay Pathak (Made in Heaven; Amazon Prime)
• Neeraj Madhav (The Family Man; Amazon Prime)
• Sharib Hashmi (The Family Man; Amazon Prime)
• Pankaj Tripathi (Criminal Justice; Hotstar)
• Gopal Dutt (The Office; Hotstar)

There are 14 categories that the public can vote in. Log on to www.hitlistwebawards.com to cast your vote.

You can also vote via SMS. Send HITLIST <space> category name <space> your choice (a/b/c/d as on the website) to 57575.

Voting lines close on March 8.

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