New Delhi:

The International Emmy nomination for Real Kashmir Football Club has given Mohammad Zeeshan Ayub the much-needed confidence, the actor said, adding that he is still trying to break into news and is happy that the series has received international recognition.

“I’m really down, I’m still absorbing the news,” Ayub explained Hindustan Times. He said he has been receiving congratulatory messages from producer Killian, director Mahesh Mathai and co-star Manav Kaul.

The 42-year-old said the team knew the series had been submitted for Emmys, but they didn’t know if it would ultimately receive a nomination. Ayub called the nomination a “great honour”. “I’m still trying to grasp the reality. It’s a very respectable thing,” he said.

According to Ayub, the team never went into the series thinking that it would win an international award. “When you’re making a show, you just want to do the best that’s possible under the circumstances,” he said.

The actor said that the series did not reach as many people as the team had hoped. However, he said the response from viewers made the effort worthwhile. “It was really unfortunate that it wasn’t seen. It didn’t reach the masses as we had hoped it would, but whoever did see it, the reviews made it worth it,” Ayub added.

Ayub said that the main thing that made Real Kashmir Football Club stand out was the way it showcased Kashmir.

He said that Kashmir is often seen through stories of violence, terrorism or romance. The series, however, tried to show another side of the region and its people. “We were all optimistic, and we knew we had created something that was kind of universal,” he added.

The Emmy nomination comes shortly after another achievement for Ayub. His project Our Share of Sand won the Audience Choice Award at the Venice Film Festival. The actor described the last 10 days as wonderful and said that both these recognitions have come at a very special time for him.

“This recognition has given me much-needed confidence. I have been doing projects like this for many years. I believe this story should reach a global audience,” said Ayub.

Ayub also explained how Indian films are getting international recognition. He pointed to the success of Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light at Cannes and Shaunak Sen’s All That Breathes, which premiered at Cannes and was later shortlisted for the Oscars.

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