Birthday plans, tryst with Hollywood and ‘Happy Bhag Jayegi 2’, Ali Fazal shares it all

The man who has set a benchmark for all by exploring the world of West, Ali Fazal celebrates his birthday today. The handsome hunk has all the reasons to celebrate and be on cloud nine as his film with Judi Dench ‘Victoria & Abdul’ has received accolades from all corners. We recently interacted with him and tried to get him reveal his birthday plans, how is it working in the Hollywood and about his upcoming films.

Excerpts from the interview…

What are your birthday plans?

I am working on my birthday. Though I am hoping that my family comes down from Lucknow to meet me. But otherwise, I am in Banaras, working.

No special plans at all?

No special plans at all. I am on a schedule. My producers have made sure that I am busy. So I’ll probably be in my vanity van.

So which project are you working on?

I am working on Excel Entertainment’s project ‘Mirzapur’. It is in collaboration with Excel Entertainment and Amazon. So it’s just been fifteen days that we have started working on this film.

With ‘Victoria & Abdul’ being a hit worldwide, what’s the feeling like?

It’s nice. It’s very very flattering. It is a first for anyone from India and I feel proud to be a part of it. It’s more about opening doors for everybody. It is important that we start looking on the other side and sharing notes with the other side and bridging that gap, because the world is getting smaller. With Amazon coming to India, it’s all going to change. And I think it is very exciting time to act in films, all across the world. ‘Victoria & Abdul’ doing well, it’s a great validation.

It is a sweet story. It is so sad that the film has got mixed reviews of late in India. The whole point was for people to see what it stands for. It stands for the love shared by these two unusual creatures.

So are you taken aback by the negative review received by film in India?

Honestly, we were expecting that. It is just that you always want to hope that people see what the movie is all about. I think what we are going through is the conditioning of the British hangover. That anything that glorifies or anything do with (British)…actually it does not. The movie makes a lot of fun of the British Empire. I think someone who should be offended is the British world and you know, it is really offensive in many ways. Of course, we have joked a lot about it in the film and if somebody did that about our Indian leaders, people would be in jail. So in fact it is the other way round.

Somewhere we can’t accept that an Indian had such a close relationship with the Queen. She was of course the Empress of India when we were under British Raj. What we don’t realise that we Indians only were working under them. Indian army fought on behalf of the British Government all the way to World War II. Main to yeah 1880 ki kahaani hai. So woh bohot confused hain and logon ko History to nahi padha sakte. And I knew this will happen. There was a backlash then when the story actually happened and now of course, there is a same reaction in the form of reviews. Constitutions have changed but the problem we have with the association hasn’t.

How was it working with Judi Dench?

You know I will tell you a very interesting anecdote. When I left for the film I was talking to Naseeruddin Shah and I told him, I don’t know what to do as it is my first time. So he told me that ‘Learn your lines and don’t bump into furniture’. Exactly fifteen days later, I am at the Royal Palace shooting with Judi Dench and I asked her, give me something as you are a legend. She laughed and said ‘Learn your lines and don’t bump into furniture’. That’s amazing you know. Two different legends on two different sides of the world said the same thing. She is funny, she owns a fidget spinner, so how cool it that. So my relationship with her is very cool.

Moving on, we have heard you have already bagged your another Hollywood project?

Well, yes it is true. In fact, there are two but we will have to take it slow. I am the first one on board. One of it is a biopic but the casting is still happening so I cannot talk about it right now. (Also Check: Watch: Ali Fazal has some cool advice for Bollywood Stars)

What’s on the Bollywood front? Apart from ‘Fukrey 2’ and ‘Mirzapur’, any other film in kitty?

Nai yaar, ho gaya. I have been working my ass off for past one year working on ‘Victoria & Abdul’ and ‘Fukrey 2’. Now I have kept it clean now.

Are you going to be a part of ‘Happy Bhag Jayegi Returns’?

Ya, I think I am (laughs). We are passing the baton to the next batch. It’s family yaar. Vikas, Mudassar, Aanand Sir…’Happy Bhag Jayegi’ is also become a family. I just haven’t started shoot with them.

But you haven’t signed the dotted lines?

Honestly, I haven’t but we don’t really have to. Aanand sir bol denge mein aa jaunga…

What do you have to say about the competition with Priyanka and Deepika in Hollywood?

I am not at all. They are exotic beauties in the West. I don’t want to go out competing with them, no point. I have my own thing happening and I am glad. They are also trying to find their space and it is different. Of course they have worked hard in Bollywood and of course, their fame goes with them. Even if they walk the red carpet it will make it to the news. But it is a proud moment for everyone that all of us are on that side.

Nikita Thakkar

A strongly opinionated, free-spirited, budding Bollywood journalist, she likes to write anything in her own quirky style. When not running around to get assigned tasks completed, you will find her either painting, indulging in photography or dreaming in the la la land.