After Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone, Ali Fazal breaks into Hollywood with Victoria & Abdul and is already being talked about as the 10 new faces to watch out for, says Mansi Bhansali
Who would have thought that Shakespeare’s play could be influential enough to change a person’s choice of professionIJ But that is something that the Bard can take credit for. Ali Fazal wanted to become a national level basketball player but Shakespeare intervened. He played the role of Trinculo in The Tempest and sure enough the acting bug bit him.
With minor but significant roles and cinematic skills in films like 3 Idiots, Always Kabhi Kabhi and Bobby Jasoos, Fazal has proved his worth not only in Bollywood but also in Hollywood. And he can thank his dedication and selectivity for landing a role in his maiden outing in a Hollywood movie, Victoria and Abdul, where he plays the lead opposite Dame Judi Dench no less.
Fresh from critical appreciation from the Bollywood fraternity for his role in Happy Bhaag Jayegi, Fazal is excited about his new release. He said, “Victoria &Abdul is a big project for me. It is a biopic. It is a story that has never been heard and was always kept hushed up by the royal families for the longest time. It has showcased a sensitive relationship between the queen and an Indian man, who was younger to her but became her closest companion for 15 years. I got the role of Abdul through auditions. I went to the look test and got lucky as several others also came for the same. Though it was a long process, it was a huge learning experience. The film holds an important place in my career. Who would miss this chance of working with the legendary Judi DenchIJ And I learnt so much from her on the sets.”
Victoria &Abdul , directed by Stephen Friers, talks about the unusual relationship between Queen Victoria played by Judi Dench and her Indian servant Abdul played by Fazal. The actor feels fortunate to have shared screen space with someone whose work has always been a source of inspiration for him. He added, “I couldn’t have asked for more. I had seen her work and it is the biggest step forward in my professional life to be seen in the same frame as her and keep up.”
Recently, the actor had expressed that racism and stereotypes had always existed in Hollywood and would continue in future too. He said, “After Victoria &Abdul , I’m looking for more work in Hollywood. Racism doesn’t stop me from taking up good roles. But suddenly I am seeing a lot of good work coming up in the fields of direction, story-telling and thought processes in both the East and the West. I’m glad to be a part of both sides.”
Fazal admits that he has been a nautanki (an entertainer) since his childhood. However, he studied science and economics and and had no plans of pursuing acting. He pointed out, “During my school days, I participated in some plays. When I came to Mumbai, I did some theatre which gradually built my interest in acting.”
Fazal doesn’t count his English film The Other End of The line as an important part of his journey. He added, “I did this because the shooting was going on in Mumbai and I needed pocket money. So I wouldn’t like to compare my performance in that particular film with the others that I have acted in. I have learnt from all the movies which I have done though. And it’s not just acting. I’ve acquired knowledge about direction, screenplay and choreography.”
Fast and Furious, which is considered as one of the biggest franchises of the world, provided the actor a chance to be a part of Fast and Furious 7, considering his persona. Though Fazal’s scene did not last for more than four seconds, he still believes it to be a great step forward towards his relationship with Universal Studio — which is producing Victoria &Abdul and which keeps him on its tracker.
Having worked in two different environments, Fazal has noticed a difference. He said, “Both produce great as well as shitty content. The only difference is that Bollywood is technologically running 15-20 years behind Hollywood. However, movies in the end are a game of money. Baahubali has opened the flood gates for bigger films. We just need more theatres in India to conquer the same.”
Fukrey 2 is next up for release where the actor will be seen doing more hardcore action scenes. Besides making his mark on the big screen, he has also acted in some short films and web series. Said the emerging artiste, “It’s a good time for actors and directors. There are various platforms to experiment with new talent. One doesn’t need to be confined to a single medium. Viewership will not be affected by this especially with respect to cinema but TV can be affected by it with the coming of Netflix and Amazon Prime. One might not need cables anymore.”
Asked about what he sees before signing a movie, Fazal laughed and quirkly said that he looked at the last few pages to assess whether his role was still there or not. On a more serious note, he added, “It’s a culmination of script and director. If you are working in a Bollywood movie, you can’t take the liberty of deciding that. If there are good actors, only then will you be doing the movie. For the past two years we have observed that the big production houses or names have failed terribly in guaranteeing the success of a venture while the smaller production houses have reached great heights.”
But at the moment, all he wants to do is put up his feet for a while. “I just want to relax for the time being since I have been working continuously for the past one year.” And since he has arrived, Fazal has a game plan. He said, “I don’t want to do a shitty role just for the heck of it. I need some time to decide for myself. Actors need to be responsible for their work. I’m keeping my pace with the time according to my comfort level. I have to be calculative at times but I do take a lot of risks, which I regret sometimes.”