Unpredictability of a story keeps me on the edge: Ali Fazal

Bollywood actor Ali Fazal, whose forthcoming film is "Milan Talkies", says the element of unpredictability excites him to explore it.

Ali has dabbled in different platforms of the entertainment industry, whether it is Hollywood, Bollywood or OTT platforms. What does he look for in a script?

Ali told IANS: "I think unpredictability. When I am reading a script and cannot predict how the final story will come out and create an impact, I am excited, because I will go through the process with a sense of uncertainty that will drive me through and keep me on the edge. At the same time, such characters and stories make me more involved with each collaborator - dress, light and camera.

"The clothes of the character bring a change in the body language, the diction of the dialogue allows me to enter that world from where the character is coming... So you see, it is a process."

Giving an example of his Judi Dench-starrer film "Victoria & Abdul", Ali said: "Though there's no timeline mentioned in the narration when you (audience) watch it, through the change of the costume you would be knowing how time has passed. So yes, I think I prefer to work closely with those departments too."

In the film "Milan Talkies", Ali plays a budding filmmaker from Malegaon. He harbours a dream to become a popular film director and settle in Mumbai.

Ali, who started his journey in Bollywood with "3 Idiots" and last year delivered a commercially successful film like "Fukrey Returns", is yet to get his due as a bankable star.

He finds it unfortunate that getting a positive feedback from critics and audience is not enough for an actor to bag more roles, as commercial success is of the utmost important in the business of cinema. However, he said it is a global phenomena now.

"In cinema, we are somewhere going through a confusing phase... It is good for us to experiment. We have got a chance to come up with a new concept and new actors. While in Hollywood, except for superhero and fantasy films, they get (a good) opening with names like Denzel Washington... It is clearly the current scene everywhere. So, yes cinema is tough.

"But this is the time when actors like me are getting an opportunity in the web space and reaching out to a larger audience, where probably a film doesn't reach. That popularity is making our fraternity think about casting me in different films," said the actor.

Directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia, "Milan Talkies" is releasing on March 15.

--IANS

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