But when the phone vibrated again, Zeeshan Ayyub read another message from producer Kilian, director Mahesh Mathai and co‑star Manav Kaul—each one an eager cheerleader for the unexpected Emmy buzz.
The drama follows a football club that stitches a community together amid the backdrop of Kashmir’s complex landscape. Ayyub says the show’s real triumph is its refusal to feed the stereotype‑laden feed of violence; it shows the everyday grit and hope that usually goes unseen.
Just a few weeks earlier, Ayyub’s short film "Our Share of Sand" won the Audience Choice Award at the Venice Film Festival, a victory that felt like a personal lifeline before the Emmy nomination fizzled into reality.
The Indian cinema scene is turning up the volume on stories from the sub‑continent. Payal Kapadia’s "All We Imagine as Light" already lit up Cannes, while Shaunak Sen’s "All That Breathes" found itself on the Oscar shortlist—proof that the world is ready for these narratives.
For Ayyub, the double honor is a confidence boost he’s been craving. "I’ve been doing projects like this for years," he says. "Now it’s finally translating into global recognition, and I’m eager to bring more of Kashmir’s untold stories to the world."