Zayed Khan Discusses His Role as Kasab in Bharat Bhagya Vidhata and the Challenges of Portraying a Notorious Figure

Mumbai, July 2: Actor Zayed Khan is gradually carving out his niche in Hindi cinema. He is currently in the spotlight for his role in the recently released film ‘Bharat Bhagya Vidhata,’ where he portrays Ajmal Kasab, the perpetrator of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. In a recent interview, Zayed revealed that he was initially reluctant to take on this role. His mother also opposed his decision to play this character.

Zayed Khan shared, “When I was offered the role of Ajmal Kasab, my first reaction was to say ‘no.’ This character represents not just acting but a significant responsibility. Kasab is one of the most hated figures in our country, and I personally despise him. Therefore, taking on the role of such a negative character at the beginning of my career felt quite daunting.”

He continued, “As my acting career is just beginning, I constantly worried that this role might pigeonhole me as a negative actor. I was concerned that audiences would only see me through the lens of this character. I had many questions and fears at that time because my image matters a lot to me.”

During this period of confusion, Zayed consulted his mentor, Satya Sabharwal, with whom he had previously worked on a G5 project. He expressed all his concerns to him. Satya advised him that a true actor’s job is not to judge a character but to portray it with complete honesty. “If the acting is good, people will remember the artist’s hard work and talent, not just the type of character they played. This was inspiring, and it led me to accept the role,” Zayed explained.

Zayed Khan mentioned, “My mother was not pleased with this decision. She wanted her son to play roles that would make people happy and be viewed positively. Nevertheless, I trusted my acting abilities. I decided to approach this character with sincerity and dedication so that the audience would focus on my performance rather than just the negative image of the character.”

He added, “Every role presents a new challenge for an actor. Sometimes, artists must portray individuals whom society despises. However, this does not mean that the actor supports their views or actions. The artist’s goal is simply to convey the story truthfully to the audience. Therefore, I made every effort to approach this role with seriousness.”