It has been an exciting phase for Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub — after playing second fiddle to a number of stars in Bollywood, the actor is finally coming into his own with a series of promising films. He charmed as competitor to Rajkummar Rao in the recently released offering, Chhalaang. And, in the few days since the release of Sony Liv's A Simple Murder, he has earned promising reviews from cinephiles. The switch in his trajectory, however, wasn't merely a stroke of luck. "I consciously took a break [from playing such roles] because people are quick to typecast actors. [We] don't get interesting [work]. A hero's friend is merely a tool to explain matters to the audience. After a point, I was searching for layered roles that could enable me to add [value]," says Ayyub.

The growth of the digital platform has had a two-fold effect — apart from increasing work opportunities for actors, it has also led to the creation of roles that enable them to showcase their skills. "A Simple Murder offered the chance to play a role that was layered, and had humour. I am only beginning to explore this medium, but it offers more space [to showcase talent]. There is no star-system here, so there are more than just four to five characters to vie for."