Saqib Saleem, last seen in the Salman Khan-starrer film Race 3, is making his digital debut in the upcoming ZEE5 web-series, Rangbaaz. Written by Siddharth Mishra and directed by Bhav Dhulia, Rangbaaz is a crime drama set in Uttar Pradesh of the 1990s.
Saqib plays the role of Shiv Prakash Shukla (inspired by the real-life character of Shri Prakash Shukla), a feared mafia gangster and hitman who murdered several politicians and was killed at the age of 25 in a police encounter.
Unruffled by the critical backlash towards Race 3, Saqib assures audiences will be impressed by his new avatar in Rangbaaz. “As actors we try to experiment and explore new things with each film or show. People mostly remember me for intense (Bombay Talkies) or sweeter roles (Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge, Hawaa Hawaai), so Race 3 was an effort to change that.
It was all about me looking good and dancing and acting with charm. I accept the criticism the film received and take it in a positive manner. Hopefully, audiences will like me in Rangbaaz, which is a whole new territory for me. I worked hard to crack the psyche of a gangster and understand his motivations. It was a fulfilling experience to work on this show,” he says.
In 2018, OTT platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video picked up pace in the Indian market by producing indigenous gangster-dramas like Sacred Games and Mirzapur respectively.
Asked if Rangbaaz is ZEE5’s answer to the lucrative genre, Saqib answers, “I must say Rangbaaz is a wholly original show because it is based on real-life characters and incidents. Although I was born in Delhi, I had little idea of the backdrop before doing the show. I couldn’t point Gorakhpur on the Indian map. But when I read the script, I was blown away by the sheer scale and impact of the world our writers had created. It’s an epic show shot over several locations and features strong performances. I think after a long time I had such great fun acting in a project.”
As another year draws to a close, the 30-year-old actor resolves to keep perfecting his craft and entertaining his audiences.
He says, “I am a passionate actor who wishes to better himself with each role. My biggest take-away from 2018 is that audiences are hungry for good content and we must provide them that. I do not want to settle down in any specific genre and be repetitive with my performances.”
Rangbaaz also stars Aahana Kumra, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Ranvir Shorey and Ravi Kishan in supporting roles. The 9-episode show begins streaming on December 22 on ZEE5 across 190 countries.