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Ruslaan Mumtaz is seen as Dr. Rahul in the new vertical series Tic Toc Timeout. Though he called it one of the most challenging roles of his career, he shared that he connected with it on a deeply personal level.
“I loved the concept of Tic Toc Timeout and it was easy for me to connect with the character because it’s about a doctor who loses his son and wants to end his life post that. Being a father myself, such a character connected with me emotionally, and I loved portraying Dr. Rahul on this show,” he said.
“This concept is really intense and very, very character-driven. It needed me to really feel the trauma of someone who wants to end his life. Also, my director Tanveer Hashmi really pushed me as an actor and helped me justify all the intense scenes in the show,” he added.
Asked whether the viewers might resonate more with the guilt or hope, he shared,
“Dr. Rahul’s guilt is totally justified. Once you watch the show, you will know why. Also, his wish to restart his life after meeting Tanya is also justified.”
From his real experience, he shared some facts about the job of a surgeon and mentioned that their job is very tough because a million things can go wrong in the operating theater, and even a small mistake leads to the loss of life. He added,
“In this show, the doctor wants to end his own life because he cannot deal with the guilt of making a mistake.”
Tic Toc Timeout revolves around a renowned surgeon, Dr. Rahul, who is guilt-ridden over his son’s death during surgery. He hires a mysterious service called How to Die Smiling to end his life in seven days. As the end nears, he meets Tanya, and they fall in love—giving him a reason to live. However, the countdown is irreversible.
Talking about the haunting title, How to Die Smiling, Ruslaan shared,
“It’s a great concept where my character hires an agency that promises to kill you while you are smiling and happy. It’s the best death one can have, and they guarantee such a death.”
Sharing his thoughts on Tanya’s entry in the show, he said,
“She makes him forget all the bad things about his life and gives him the desire to want to live again and start afresh.”
Ultimately, Tic Toc Timeout asks a timeless question—can love save someone from the fate they’ve already chosen? Ruslaan Mumtaz believes it can.
“Yes, love can change your fate and destiny, and even if it can’t, your end could be a happy one,” he ended.
