Talktime | Ali Fazal
Riding high on the success of Victoria and Abdul, Fazal speaks to Shalini Saksena about working with Dame Judi Dench and how he once wanted to be a pilot
You are busy shooting for a project. Can you tell us about itIJ
I am shooting for Amazon Prime. It is a series titled Mirzapur and loosely based on true events. It is a mix between something that falls in the genre of Godfather and Narcos but based in Benaras. I have undergone some crazy transformation — haircut etc. It is nice, something that I have not done before.
Tell us about Victoria and Abdul and your character in the filmIJ
The story is based on true events about a man who befriended the most powerful woman on the planet. It’s the last chapter— last 15 years of her life. But very conveniently history books brushed this aside. I don’t understand why people didn’t associate with him and were scared because he sent shock waves in the royal household. He became her teacher and taught her Urdu for 15 years. It was love — a romantic but spiritual kind of love.
Since there is little material on Abdul, what were the challenges to bring your character aliveIJ
It was a lot of mathematical calculation. We had to literally pinpoint his existence. We had to use a lot of photographs and journals.
Were you nervous of working with Dame Judi DenchIJ
Not at all! We got along very well. We met a couple of times to break the ice. We rehearsed together, talked a lot since we were staying in the same hotel. We share a sense of humour. Every moment spent with her was wonderful. There was no apprehension or nervousness. It was a friendship that I was building up.
Usually people debut with Hindi cinema and move to international projects. It happened the other way round for you...
No not really! I did an English series around the time of 3Idiots which came earlier. That was my trajectory. I was studying and doing a lot of stage. And jumped when this project came to me.
Did you have a different trajectoryIJ
I wanted to be a pilot. That's why I took science in school. I did not know acting. I broke my arm in school that's how I became an actor. I couldn't play sports so my friend suggested I try my hand at English plays. I was in the hostel back then. I started winning awards and thought that this was great and I started enjoying it.
You have cameos and special appearances in movies. Is that by choiceIJ
I think you are coming from 3Idiot days. I have never been thanked for doing a special appearance role.
How important is it to sell yourself as an actor.
It is important because finally, we are taking the film to the audiences where it becomes corporate. Some people go out to sell themselves and do anything while others save the integrity of it and do the work. I can’t sit back and ask my daddy to launch me. I have to get out and enjoy my Sunday, one day at a time. It is the media, that is how you guys conform. It is like you are part of the mob and that mentality. It is not me but you guys playing the game.
What motivates youIJ
The fact that there is enough scum already and I am not. I just feel that there can be some good work done. It is a time we lost the tag of just being an exotic Indian abroad but actually an actor. I just want to be part of that bandwagon.