Though he did not feature in the first season of the show, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub found himself diving deep into the world of guns and gore with Rangbaaz Phir Se. Coming on board the Zee5 show was an easy decision for the actor since his character was shrewd and sharply written. "Sanjay Singh Meena [his character] is intoxicated by power, corrupt and ruthless; he stops seeing what is right. My character ultimately emerges as the dark horse of the show," says Ayyub of the role that has fetched him a Best Supporting Actor nomination in the upcoming mid-day and Radio City Hitlist Web Awards.

While Jimmy Sheirgill essays the central part of Amarpal Singh, a character reportedly inspired by the Rajasthan gangster Anandpal Singh, Ayyub plays the wily cop with shifting loyalties. "There is a line that differentiates the good from the bad. Once you cross over, your perspective towards life changes; this is what happens to Sanjay Singh Meena. He goes berserk, leading to conflicts, bloodshed and rivalries." The actor, who forays into digital entertainment with the action thriller, has also done the voice-over. "Usually, there is only sutradhar who narrates the story, but the makers had me do the voice-over too," he smiles.