Zeeshan Ayyub on Slapping Salman Khan in Tubelight: My Heart Was Racing, Thought My Career Might End

Zeeshan Ayyub, who was last seen in the latest season of Criminal Justice: A Family Matter with Pankaj Tripathi, Surveen Chawla, and Asha Negi, shared his experience of filming a demanding scene with Salman Khan in Kabir Khan’s 2017 film, Tubelight.

During an interview with Digital Commentary, Zeeshan mentioned that his first scene in Manali required him to slap Salman Khan’s character, which he found to be a challenging experience, especially for his first day on set. Zeeshan recalled, “The first scene was on a small bridge over a river. I stop him, slap him, and he falls into the water. Meeting Salman sir for the first time, with that as my opening shot, was intense.” The initial master shot was filmed with a body double, but the real difficulty came when the close-up required Salman himself.

Zeeshan shared, “I was worried – too far, and it would look fake; too close and I risked upsetting him. I raised my hand from a distance, but Salman sir said, ‘Do it again from closer.’ My heart was racing.” Salman made him feel comfortable, saying, “Bring it so close that my hair moves with the wind – don’t worry.” Zeeshan recalled being concerned that the slap might end his career, yet, in the end, that moment became one of his proudest.

Zeeshan added, “With all my experience, I did it right, and his hair moved exactly as intended. After the shot, Salman sir calmly said, ‘You did well.’ That warmth and support made the whole experience unforgettable. Honestly, even if my career had ended that day, I would have been content.”

The year 2017 was indeed a special one for Zeeshan Ayyub, owing to him doing two films with Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan in the same year. Lately, he received praise for his portrayal of Dr. Raj Nagpal in the web series Criminal Justice: A Family Matter. 

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