Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub: I hope I get atleast 50 per cent of what I deserve

Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub has delivered some fine performances including in his latest Hansal Mehta’s web show, Scoop, in which he plays Imran Siddiqui, the editor of a daily. Though his work has been appreciated, the actor feels he hasn’t got his due credit.

“I think I deserve more. My talent and potential hasn’t been explored to its full capacity. I have a lot more to offer as an actor but I don’t get that kind of opportunities. I hope I get atleast 50 per cent of what I deserve,” he tells us.

The Tandav (2021) actor reveals despite having a substantial role in the project, he has not been given that importance. “Kayi baar gussa aata hai ki aap itna effort daalte hain aur aapko sideline kardia jaata hai. Frustrated bhi feel hota hai. In the last six years, I have worked in several projects, but if you sit to count the number of posters I am in, there will be hardly any. I was supposed to be on the posters of those films but at the end, a very stupid and unbelievable reasons was given to me,” he says, adding, “But what can one do. I can’t change their way of thinking. I can only keep owning my craft and giving better and better performances”.

Sharing where the problem lies, Ayyub says though it’s difficult to crack, “I feel, people who take decisions in the industry if start watching and liking my work, and not just the critics and audience, things might change a little. Ye log bhi pasand karna shuru krdenge toh shyad problem bhi solve hojaae.”

While his work is highly appreciated, audience gets to see him after long intervals. In an interview earlier, the actor had shared that people thought he is out of work because of such long gaps between projects.

Is there too much pressure to be constantly seen? He responds, “I don’t feel pressurised. Agar aisa hota toh I would have been more active on social media. I want people to notice and appreciate my work but I can’t put two posts a day. That’s not me. I believe your work speaks for you and when your work is good, you automatically get more opportunities.”

Having said that, the actor points out that he does get a lot of offers but has to give up because of date issues. “Ab aisa toh hai nahi ki log mujhe bolenge ki jab tum karoge, tabhi hum project bnaaenge.”

In Mehta’s investigative drama, the actor plays Imran Siddiqui, a character that was inspired by veteran investigative journalist Hussain Zaidi. While it could be a challenge for any actor to play a real life character without messing up with its intricacies, Ayyub tells us that it wasn’t a pressure because he went with the Mehta’s judgement.

“Hansal is very clear of the fact that all his actors should start their work from the script. Moreover, the character was inspired by Hussain Zaidi, but I did not mimic him or copy him. We have taken the story from the book and presented it in our way. Having said that, trying to bring on screen what Hansal had on the paper was still a pressure. Hansal was concerned about this character turning boring because Imran acchi, righteous baatein hi karta hai and that might have gone wrong,” says Ayyub, who now is receiving great reviews from audiences as well as critics.

Ask him if he was satisfied and happy with his performance, and the actor shares a rather interesting bit of information. “I haven’t seen the show yet,” he says, adding, “I am getting great reviews for my performance and I am enjoying it. But I know that once I will watch it, mujhe mere performance me hi bahut kamiya dikhengi. Then the appreciation will also not make me happy.”

As far as satisfaction while shooting the series is concerned, the actor says that he does not get into the trap of retakes. “Agar aap is trap mein phaase ki ek aur take hoskata hai, toh mere jaise actor ko toh ek hi scene poori zindagi karna padega. That’s why, my trust in Hansal was so high that I felt happy throughout. It has happened a couple of times when I thought I just uttered the words and there was no feeling, and I gave a retake. But other than that, I only went with Hansal’s decision,” he wraps up.