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EXCLUSIVE: Superboys of Malegaon actor Saqib Ayub admits being unaware of his rising popularity after Farzi
Saqib Ayub, in an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla, opened up about his journey, his rise to fame with Farzi, and also spoke about his next project, HIT 3.
Saqib Ayub is widely recognized for his impactful performance in Superboys of Malegaon, and prior to that, he gained fame for his portrayal of Anees Bhai in the hit Amazon Prime series Farzi. Despite having limited screen time, his depiction of a gangster left a lasting impression on the audience. In an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla, Saqib revealed that he was initially unaware of his growing popularity after Farzi and was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the show achieved immense success within just a month.
Saqib has also starred in Superboys of Malegaon, a critically acclaimed project that was showcased at international film festivals. His journey began with Thugs of Hindostan (2018), where he worked alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan. Saqib continues to explore diverse roles, with upcoming projects like HIT 3, First Copy, and Love in Vietnam.
In an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla, Saqib Ayub was asked about his journey from Farzi to Superboys of Malegaon and now HIT 3, he recalled, "So when Farzi was released, I was shooting for Superboys of Malegaon in Nashik and sadly, I couldn’t attend the premiere also. My co-actor Mr. Vineet Kumar Singh had attended the premiere and when he came back to Nashik for the shoot, he praised the show and my work and said that the show would do really well. That was something really reassuring."
He continued, "My world went upside down in a good way with this newfound fame. This new wave of popularity was something I had never experienced before. People started recognizing me in public places—whether it was the beach, a restaurant, or even when I was just out for a coffee with friends. They would come up to me, click pictures, and appreciate my work."
Ayub added, "They would remember me as Anees Bhai. It was overwhelming because, in the show, I only had screen time of about 20 minutes over 14-15 days, yet people remembered me. The show was a hit, and I believe I did a fairly good job, which made the recognition even more special. In a nutshell, you can say that from Farzi to Superboys, I naturally transitioned from being a nobody to becoming somebody."
Reflecting on his rising popularity with Farzi, he said, "Farzi blew up in a month. I was completely unaware of my rising popularity while I was shooting for Superboys. When I returned to Bombay after completing the Nashik schedule, I realized that I had become a little bit famous. People would recognize me, appreciate my work, and take pictures with me."
He then revealed, "Unfortunately, even though I had a good role in Love Adhura, the show did not do well. It was a well-made production with a good budget and stunning visuals, almost like an extended theatrical version of Yaatri Kripya Dhyaan De on Amazon mini. But despite that, it didn’t work as expected."
Speaking about his initial days in the industry, Saqib shared, "My journey goes back to 2017—eight years ago—when I did my first feature film. It was a project with Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, two stalwarts of the film industry, and Yash Raj Films. That film holds immense value for me, regardless of its box office performance."
Recalling his experience working with Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, he said, "It was my learning ground, where I got to observe and absorb knowledge from legends like Mr. Bachchan, Mr. Khan, and also Zeeshan Aayub, a phenomenal actor of our time. Working with an international crew on a massive set was an invaluable experience on the sets of Thugs of Hindostan. I learned a lot about how large-scale productions operate—how each department functions, how every crew member contributes to bringing a film to life."
He added, "Watching how a production like Yash Raj works on such a grand scale gave me a deep understanding of professionalism in the filmmaking business. Another perk of working on that film was the opportunity to travel and meet people from different parts of the world."
Saqib mentioned, "Our action crew was foreign, our lighting crew was foreign, and even the local Maltese crew assisted in various departments like direction, production, and catering. Seeing people from different cultures come together to create something meaningful was inspiring."
Ayub shared, "In March 2024, Love Adhura was released. Love Adhura was the name of the show. Then, in April 2024, I had another milestone in my career—I gave a TED Talk. A few months later, in July, I signed First Copy, and by August, I had started shooting for it. In the months following Love Adhura’s release, I also worked on a few advertisements before First Copy happened."
He continued, "Then while shooting for First Copy in August, I got a call for Hit 3. Luckily, at that time, I was already in Hyderabad, which allowed me to take some time out and meet the director, Sailesh Kolanu. The most interesting part of the South Indian film industry is that they don’t usually conduct auditions."
Adding further, he said, "When I received the call, I was given a full narration of the script, which was a first for me. Normally, in Bollywood, we don’t get narrations beforehand. They usually say, ‘If you are locked for the role, then we will tell you about the characters, actors, and everything else.’ However, here, even though I don’t have a major part in the film, I was still given the entire script narration. That was quite surprising for me."
After the narration, he asked, “Okay, fine, how do we proceed with the audition?” To his astonishment, they responded, “Sir, we don’t need your audition. We know your work, and we just want to know if you’re interested in doing this role.” That took him aback. He was amazed that despite the language difference, they were already familiar with his work and trusted him enough to cast him without an audition.
He added, "This was a deeply touching experience for me. In Bollywood, even after working in the industry for years, actors still have to audition—even for advertisements. After doing so much work and proving ourselves repeatedly, we are still asked to audition, sometimes even for smaller roles."
Continuing, he shared, "In a 12-year career span, an actor might have to audition 10,000 times. It can be disheartening to keep proving oneself over and over. They often say, ‘Please give an audition, the client needs to see it.’ It’s unfortunate, but that’s how Bollywood functions. The South Indian film industry, however, operates differently, and I truly appreciate that."
Saqib concluded by saying, "So, I met the director, and he gave me a clear idea of the script, my character, and everything related to the film. My dates were locked, and we shot in Jaipur and Hyderabad. I was also supposed to go to Srinagar for a portion of the shoot, but unfortunately, I was unavailable as I was shooting for another project at that time. So, they worked around it by using my dupes for those scenes."
When asked about his role in HIT 3, Saqib Ayub revealed, "My first Telugu film is coming out on May 1, HIT 3, which stars Nani sir in the lead. It’s the third part of the HIT franchise. Nani sir plays a police officer investigating a series of homicides, and I can’t really disclose much about the film.
He added, "I’ve also done a small cameo in Vikas Bahl’s film, which stars Sudhanshu Trivedi and Wamiqa. That should be releasing in the next 6 months. Apart from that, there’s Love in Vietnam, directed by Rahat Kazmi sir."
Saqib Ayub spoke about his experience working with Nani and shared, "The shooting experience with Nani sir was truly inspiring. He is an incredible person, and working with him was nothing short of extraordinary. The entire process was peaceful, relaxed, and highly organized. Despite being a star, he remains humble and down-to-earth, making me feel completely comfortable on set."
He added, "Every day, he would arrive on time, ensuring everything ran smoothly and punctually. He also gave me the space to perform, allowing me to bring my character to life without any restrictions. At one point, he even asked if I had a theatre background because he noticed my performance style and said, 'You look like you’re from the stage.' That was a humbling moment for me."
Saqib further mentioned, "The experience of working with him was very different from Bollywood. Nani sir is truly a gem of a person, and it was an absolute honor and privilege to share the screen with him in HIT 3."
When asked how he landed the role in Superboys of Malegaon, Saqib Ayub recalled his experience and shared that his approach was quite simple "It was all laid down in the script by Varun Grover, the writer. Everything was crystal clear in the script, and we had a series of workshops with Atul Moviyal, which helped us come together as a team."
He continued, "Then, of course, there was Reema’s guidance, along with Varun bhai’s inputs. We also had a dialect coach, Mr. Aleem, who is one of the characters in the film. During the shoot, we interacted with Naseer Bhai, Aleem, and people from Malegaon, which added authenticity to our performances."
Talking about working with Reema Kagti, Saqib said, "It was a phenomenal experience. She is an incredible director who knows exactly what she wants. I think she already has her edit set in her mind while shooting. Working with her was a massive learning experience because she is impeccable, flawless, and crystal clear about her vision."
He continued, "She is also very approachable, communicative, and empathetic, which made the whole process even more enjoyable. She is only the second female director I have worked with, and like any other director, she has her own distinct way of working. Overall, the experience was enlightening and an incredible learning curve for me. I hope to collaborate with her again."
Saqib also opened up about his experience working with Raj and DK on Farzi and shared, "They are a duo director team, two different individuals who work together in perfect tandem. The best part about working with them is the massive room they give actors for improvisation. This was pretty evident in Farzi. If a scene was scripted for one page, but we extended it a little longer—maybe making it two pages—they were completely okay with it."
He continued, "In fact, most of the extended scenes were kept as they were in the final cut. Their scripts are lively, fun, and engaging. Playing the characters they create is an absolute joy. The credit also goes to the writers, who have crafted Farzi and The Family Man."
"The kind of characters they bring to life makes working with them an amazing journey. As I said about Reema, working with Raj and DK was a completely different learning experience, each unique in its own way. As an actor, I feel really blessed to work with some amazing directors, " said Ayub.
Talking about Love in Vietnam, Saqib revealed, "I got in touch with Rahat Kazmi while working on Love in Vietnam, an Indo-Vietnamese collaboration. The film features a lead actress from Vietnam, and Rahat sir himself hails from Jammu and Kashmir. Not many people know about him, but he has done a lot for the film industry in Jammu."
He continued, "He has produced, directed, and acted in several films there, contributing significantly to Jammu and Kashmir’s cinema culture. This is crucial because India is a cinema-loving nation, and as you have seen in Superboys of Malegaon, independent filmmakers like him are working tirelessly to create films in regional languages and bring new stories to life."
The actor added, "Working with him was also a fantastic experience. He is like a brother to me, and we share a strong bond. He gave me complete creative freedom to perform my scenes and valued my inputs, which made Love in Vietnam an enjoyable project. I genuinely hope to collaborate with him again on future projects and contribute my part to uplifting the film and television community in Jammu and Kashmir."
Talking about drawing experiences for his character in Superboys of Malegaon, the actor revealed, "I mainly drew experiences from real life. In many ways, Anees is someone like me, and I found it easy to associate with him. Language was never a problem since I am from Bombay and naturally speak in the Bantai lingo with my closest friends. Coming from a middle-class background, having spent time on the streets, and being well-versed in Bombay slang made slipping into the character effortless."
He added, "As for playing a gangster, I took inspiration from various Bollywood films about gangsters. A part of my childhood was spent in Bombay Central, Madanpura, and Dongri, so I could relate to that world in some way. All these personal experiences, combined with the strong script and fantastic writing, helped me shape the character. The freedom given to me to build Anees in my own way also played a crucial role in bringing him to life."
Saqib also expressed his feelings when the movie was selected for screening at multiple film festivals. He shared, "When Superboys got selected for international film festivals, it was overwhelming. If I had to describe the feeling in one word, it would be 'surreal.' One of the best nights of my life. Little did I imagine that I would ever walk the red carpet of a prestigious international film festival, and that too, with just my third film."
He continued, "It is truly a blessing, and I am immensely grateful for that. I can only count my blessings that I got to be part of such a beautiful story where some really amazing people came together to create something so special. When the film premiered in Toronto, walking the red carpet with so many fans, the paps, and even international photographers interacting with us—it was absolutely incredible. That experience will always hold a special place in my heart."
Saqib added, "I was just humbled and extremely happy. When the film premiered, and as soon as the show ended, we received a massive standing ovation from a crowd of about 2,500 people. It lasted for 5 minutes, and we were all so emotionally overwhelmed that we broke down together—Zoya, Reema, Naseer Bhai, Adarsh, and all of us."
"We carried that emotional high with us for the rest of the days we were there. To add to that, the film was so well-received that we were recognized by people on the streets after the premiere. They appreciated us so much, and getting that kind of love from foreign audiences was both humbling and overwhelming."
"We just hoped that the same love would transition to India when the film released—and that’s exactly what happened. It’s been running for three weeks now, and the love we’re receiving from India has been phenomenal," said Ayub.
Talking about his upcoming projects, Saqib said, "I have some really interesting projects lined up. In April, one of my series was released on Amazon MX Player, titled First Copy. It stars Munawar Faruqui in the lead, and I am the parallel lead. It’s set in the early 2000s, and while I can’t disclose much about it, I can say it’s a fantastic series filled with ups and downs, emotions, and drama. I’m also looking forward to HIT 3."
From his breakthrough in Farzi to the overwhelming response for Superboys of Malegaon and now stepping into the Telugu film industry with HIT 3, Saqib’s career has been a testament to his dedication, versatility, and passion for his craft
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