Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub On His Role In Shraddha Kapoor’s ‘Eetha’: ‘It’s A Central Character With A Lot Of Emotion’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub will be seen in the upcoming film “Eetha,” directed by Laxman Utekar and starring Shraddha Kapoor in the title role. In an exclusive chat with Variety India, the versatile actor reflects on playing a pivotal, central role in the biographical drama and addresses the buzz surrounding the film’s scheduled release in the first week of December, which is a lucrative slot previously proven by box office giants like “Animal,” “Pushpa,” and “Dhurandhar.” While trade analysts discuss release dates, solo windows and teaser responses, Zeeshan maintains an actor-first mindset focused strictly on storytelling. From drawing on his National School of Drama background to capture Maharashtra’s rich folk art traditions to bonding with his co-stars on set, Zeeshan breaks down what made working on “Eetha” such an engaging experience.

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With the teaser for “Eetha” receiving a strong reception, attention has naturally turned to its strategic December release window. The first week of December boasts major blockbusters in recent years, but Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub prefers to leave the trade calculations to the producers.

“All of us are really excited and we’re really looking forward to sharing the story with audiences. We got a great response for the teaser,” Zeeshan shares. “Honestly, being an actor, I don’t think so much. Whether it will be released on this date or not. I’m sure the people in the trade must have thought about it. And if something like this happens, we’ll be more than happy. Honestly, we just want to share the story.”

Addressing his character in the film, Zeeshan reveals that while the official trailer is still under wraps, his role anchors the narrative’s emotional core. “They haven’t released the trailer yet, so you’ll get to know more after that,” he notes. “It’s a very different and important character who’s carrying a lot of emotional burden and is extremely central to the plot.”

Stepping into the world of traditional Maharashtrian performance arts like Lavani and Tamasha required a deep appreciation of local culture, something Zeeshan credits to his rigorous theater background. “I didn’t have too many details, honestly. But I’d heard of it because of being from the National School of Drama so you get to study about it. I think that’s the benefit of a theater background. You read about them. But I didn’t know about the lifestyle of the people involved in it. That’s what the film did for me.” 

Reflecting on the collaborative energy on set alongside Shraddha Kapoor, Zeeshan praised the camaraderie among the cast throughout the shoot.

Zeeshan adds. “Most of my scenes are with her. It was a lot of fun. We became good friends. We had so much fun. As the shoot went on, we had a great time. It’s such a central, delicately placed character. There’s a lot of curiosity about the film, so it’s best for audiences to wait for things to be unveiled.”