Nine years since he joined the industry, Lucknow boy Ali Fazal feels content with what he has in his kitty so far. “It has been a nice journey. No one knew me in Bollywood and there was no one to help me out in the beginning,” says Ali who made his debut with Always Kabhi Kabhi . “As I never studied acting, it was like learning on the job. I am happy that I got great mentors like Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Farhan Akhtar who shaped my understanding of cinema,” says Ali, gearing up for the release of Victoria & Abdul this week.
Based on Shrabani Basu’s book of the same name, the Stephen Frears film traces the unique bond between Queen Victoria and her Indian munshi Abdul Karim. “I am proud to represent India at a global platform. The film kind of resonates with what is going on around the world. I have a lovely relationship to take forward with Hollywood as well as the studio,” says Ali. He recalls the phone call of one of the producers which confirmed his place in the film. “I was supposed to be very happy but suddenly I realised I have to do a lot of research and preparation to play this man,” laughs the young actor.
It takes years to become an international sensation but Ali has made a decent start with Abdul. The actor remembers that it was school when he first realised his love for acting while doing plays in school productions and that he always wanted international attention. “The reception around the world has been great; I hope people here will give it the same love,” says Ali, whose first break came with Furious 7 .
Authentic portrayal
But playing Abdul required a different kind of preparation. Ali wanted to provide “an authentic portrayal of time” for young audience. For that, he worked a lot on his diction. “The actors who regularly do international films have their own Indian accent which is not really Indian. I tried to change that impression and I think it is the time now people get to know how we really speak or how we spoke in 19th Century India. Luckily I grew up in an environment where Urdu was spoken as first language. I had hone Arabic and Persian diction which were widely in use at that time,” says Ali.
The film gave him a chance to understand the nuances of acting with Judi Dench. “Her years of experience in itself says a lot. She used to advise: ‘learn your lines and do not fear’,” recalls Ali. “The chemistry that we had was kind of parallel to the film's story because it was my first time with her. To be with her and talk like a normal person, gives you a sense of the other side of the world,” he gushes. “You know of her as a royal person but in reality, she owns a fidget spinner (laughs). I do not own one. She used to teach me about how to spin it well and balance it.”
According to Ali, the success of Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur as well as A.R. Rahman on the global stage prove that the world is getting smaller. “Though it is still hard to find a Hollywood hero of Indian origin, I was welcomed to the list of Indian actors without any tag. India has become a big name at the global level and we just need to be confident because we have a lot of talent. They cannot rely on white men for every part and directors are taking risk to cast actors of different nationalities today. Also, I do not have to play an Indian all the time I can fit into characters from so many places. This acceptance has really pushed me out of the comfort zone of Bollywood” says Ali.
Image issues
He feels dismayed by Bollywood’s tendency to give its actors an image which earlier used to continue for years.
“I find it boring that the stars even have to stick to one hairstyle. That is why I respect Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar as they have reinvented themselves to remain relevant. It is not just about looking like a character but a part of you should feel the same what the character is feeling. You cannot compromise anymore,” opines Ali. “Everyone wants to be seen as a lead actor. What I want is to play more mature roles,” he adds.
He feels positive about changing nature of filmmaking in India. “After 1980s, actors had started to come with certain adaayein and with that only people made careers. When you have Netflix on phones, bringing someone to cinema hall requires a lot more,” remarks Ali.
Part of his arsenal is his boy next door image which allows Ali to slip into a diverse range of stories. The actor will next be seen in Fukrey 2 with the same ensemble which made the original sparkle with funny situations and raw dialogues. “The characters are the same and again it is is about gambling. The good thing is people remember and relate to the characters.”
The actor has his kitty full with offers but does not want to reveal now. “I am working with Amazon and Excel on a web series, Mirzapur . I am playing the lead and that is all I can reveal right now,” Ali signs off.
