Ayyub began his film career with a negative role in Raj Kumar Gupta's financially successful semi-biographical thriller No One Killed Jessica (2011), which earned him a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut.

Subsequently, he featured briefly in the box-office hits Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011), Jannat 2 (2012), Raanjhanaa (2013), Shahid (2013), Raja Natwarlal (2014), Tubelight (2017), Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (2019), and Article 15 (2019).

[3] Ayyub made his acting debut with Raj Kumar Gupta's biographical thriller No One Killed Jessica (2011), which also starred Vidya Balan and Rani Mukerji.

In 2012, Ayyub took another supporting role—this time in Kunal Deshmukh's thriller Jannat 2, co-starring Emraan Hashmi, Esha Gupta, and Randeep Hooda.

In 2015, Ayyub appeared in four films, the first of which was Abhishek Dogra's directorial debut—the comedy Dolly Ki Doli, co-starring Sonam Kapoor, Pulkit Samrat, Rajkummar Rao, and Varun Sharma.

The film, about a woman who marries men from different religions and runs with their wealth on the wedding night, received moderate reviews and was average at the box office.

In his final release of the year, Ayyub played his first leading and the title role in Dakxin Chhara's directorial debut—the action drama Sameer—another box office disappointment.

Both the films generated mixed reviews and failed at both the Indian and overseas box office, thus making 2018 an unsuccessful year in Ayyub's career.

Ayyub's first release of 2019 was the biographical war drama Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, based on the life of freedom fighter Rani Lakshmi Bai, portrayed by Kangana Ranaut in the film.

Highlighting caste discrimination in India, it was inspired by multiple events, including the 2014 Badaun gang rape allegations and the 2016 Una flogging incident.

He next starred alongside Diljit Dosanjh and Kriti Sanon on Rohit Jugraj Chauhan's spoof comedy Arjun Patiala, a major commercial disaster.