It was Salman Khan’s faith in Zaheer Iqbal that landed him Notebook (2019), thus opening the doors of the Hindi film industry for him. But the wait for his second project ran long. As Double XL released earlier this month, over three years after his maiden film, Iqbal acknowledges that the wait left him with a few lessons.

“You have to be a saleable star for [people] to invest money in you, or someone to have faith in you that you will become a star. It sometimes takes time to find that person,” he reflects.

The actor’s patience appears to have paid off. While shooting for Double XL — also starring Sonakshi Sinha, Huma Qureshi and Mahat Raghavendra — writer-producer Mudassar Aziz signed him on for a three-film deal. While the social comedy was the first film of the deal, the actor will soon begin filming the second project. “It’s a sports drama, currently in the development stage.”

While Double XL may not have made an impact at the box office, his earnestness has been recognised. “Mudassar saw my work on the set, and asked me to work with him in future projects. I believe in impressing people with my hard work and letting them know that I am [enduring].”