India, Sept. 25 -- Actor Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub is still taking in the news of Real Kashmir Football Club earning an International Emmy nomination. "I just landed actually, I'm still absorbing the news. Have been receiving congratulatory messages from people, producer Kilian, Mahesh (Mathai, director) sir and Manav (Kaul, co-actor). I knew that we have filed the nomination, but select ho jaegi yeh nahi pata tha. Even though this series is beautifully made, this news is a huge honour. I'm still trying to grasp the reality. It's an extremely respectable thing," he says.

For the 42-year-old, the recognition is especially meaningful because the team never made the series assuming it would receive international recognition. "When you are making a...