Actor Muzammil Ibrahim, who played the character of agent Avinash in Special Ops, opened up about how he landed the role and talks about his growing bond with director Neeraj Pandey.
Speaking about how he got cast, Muzammil shared, “I was selected for the character in Special Ops because the team had seen my previous work and was aware of the projects I had done. Shivam sir had watched me in Dhokha and really liked my performance. We were actually supposed to collaborate on another film earlier, but that didn’t work out. He’s someone who truly supports talent. When my audition happened, I was the first choice for the role.”
His association with Neeraj Pandey has grown over time, especially during the second season. Muzammil revealed, “Neeraj sir doesn’t speak much, and compliments even less, but during the shoot of Season 2, he mentioned to me that the reason they increased my role was because the feedback they received about me was very impressive. Taking that into account, they decided to expand my character’s presence. And honestly, after Special Ops 2, I hope they have gotten better feedback after season 2 and as fans demanded hope something better is done with the character in future.”
Calling his bond with Neeraj Pandey similar to that of a teacher and student, Muzammil said, “He’s someone I can call anytime for advice like an older brother. He’s extremely genuine, and I really look up to him, both as a person and as a professional. There’s so much to learn from him. All of us are in awe of him he’s like a ‘man crush,’ to be honest. Even with his success, he’s neither quirky nor does he throw his weight around. That’s one set where politics can never survive, and that’s all because of one person—Neeraj Pandey.”