Ali Fazal | |
|---|---|
 Fazal in 2017 | |
| Born | (1986-10-15)15 October 1986 (age 38) |
| Alma mater | St. Xavier's College (Economics) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Works | Full list |
| Spouse | [1] |
| Children | 1 |
Ali Fazal (born 15 October 1986[2]) is an Indian actor who works primarily inHindi and English films and series. He made his screen debut with a small role in the English filmThe Other End of the Line (2008) before appearing in the American television miniseriesBollywood Hero (2009).[3] He had his firstHindi film release with a supporting role in3 Idiots (2009), and went on to star inAlways Kabhi Kabhi (2011),Baat Ban Gayi (2013), andBobby Jasoos (2014).
Greater success came for his roles in the comediesFukrey (2013),Happy Bhag Jayegi (2016),Fukrey Returns (2017), as he expanded to international cinema with a small role inFurious 7 (2015) and a starring role asAbdul Karim inVictoria & Abdul (2017).[4][5] He has since starred in theAmazon Prime Video crime thriller seriesMirzapur (2018–present), and in the Hollywood filmsDeath on the Nile (2022) andKandahar (2023).
Ali Fazal was born inSir Gangaram Hospital, Delhi, and grew up inLucknow, Uttar Pradesh.[6] For a very brief period, he went toInternational Indian School, Dammam. He also went toLa Martiniere College in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and then moved to the all-boys boarding school,The Doon School inDehradun, Uttarakhand.[7] At Doon, he took up acting and participated in many Founder's Day theatre productions. He is said to have "found his calling" when he played the role ofTrinculo, the jester inWilliam Shakespeare'sThe Tempest.[8][6] After Doon, Fazal went to Mumbai and graduated in economics fromSt. Xavier's College.[9]
Fazal appeared in a small role in the James Dodson-directed romantic comedy filmThe Other End of the Line (2008).[10] The film was a critical and commercial failure.[11][12] He next appeared in the American television miniseriesBollywood Hero (2009) where he portrayed the role of Monty Kapoor.[10] During his second year of college,Saeed Akhtar Mirza saw him in a play and picked him for the lead of erotic thrillerEk Tho Chance (2009), alongsideAmrita Arora andSaurabh Shukla.[6] The film focused on the realities andcomedies inherent in life in Mumbai. The film premiered at the 14thInternational Film Festival of Kerala.[13]
The same year, Fazal made hisBollywood film debut withRajkumar Hirani'sNational Film Award-winning3 Idiots, a film loosely based on the novelFive Point Someone byChetan Bhagat.[14] He was doing a theatre play atPrithvi Theatre inJuhu, when a person from the film's production unit noticed him and referred him to Hirani.[9][15] Co-starring alongsideAamir Khan,Kareena Kapoor,R. Madhavan, andSharman Joshi, Fazal played the role of an engineering student, Joy Lobo. The film received critical acclaim and emerged as thehighest-grossing Bollywood film of all time up until then, grossing₹3,920 million (US$45 million) worldwide.[16]
In 2011, Fazal was picked up byShah Rukh Khan's production house,Red Chillies Entertainment for theRoshan Abbas–directed romance filmAlways Kabhi Kabhi.[17] Appearing oppositeGiselli Monteiro, Fazal plays the role of Sameer Khanna and had to lose 15 kilos for the role.[15] The film received negative response from the critics and was a box-office failure.[18] WhileKomal Nahta of Koimoi said Fazal acted reasonably well,[19] Gaurav Malani fromThe Times of India picked him as best in the cast.[20] Later in an interview, Fazal said that doing the film was not a good decision.[21]
Fazal's first release in 2013 was in acoming-of-age comedy filmFukrey, in which he portrayed the role of Zafar, a struggling musician.[22] The film along with his performance received mixed responses from critics. Nishi Tiwari fromRediff.com said he wore a "dazed expression" throughout the film,[23] and Saibal Chatterjee fromNDTV felt his role was "underwritten".[24]
The same year, Fazal appeared in the romantic comedy filmBaat Bann Gayi, which was considered a parody ofShakespeare'sThe Comedy of Errors.[7] He portrayed the dual roles of Kabir, a successful novelist from Singapore, and Rasiya Bihari, a local don.[25] The film met with negative reactions from critics and failed at the box office, though Fazal was praised for his acting.[18] Faheem Ruhani fromIndia Today considered him an upcoming talent to "watch out for",[26] whileThe Times of India affirmed he is "standing out" from the cast.[27]
In 2014, Fazal appeared in a supporting role oppositeVidya Balan in the comedy-dramaBobby Jasoos. Initially, Fazal refused the role since he felt he had "nothing much to do in it", but later agreed because of the "unusual romance" between him and Balan.[28] Fazal's role as Tasawur, a popular local TV anchor who helps aHyderabadi woman who aspires to be a detective (played by Balan), was well received.Taran Adarsh ofBollywood Hungama described Fazal as a "complete revelation": "Although pitted against a powerhouse performer like Vidya, Ali makes his presence felt with a wonderful performance".[29]
The same year he appeared in the filmSonali Cable oppositeRhea Chakraborty, where he portrayed the role of Raghu. Fazal did his first on-screen intimate scene for a song in the film along with Chakraborty.[30] His acting received mixed response from critics, where many criticised him for "recent stereotyped roles".[31] Mohar Basu from Koimoi commented, "Ali Fazal is not even close to what he is capable of. The actor has good potential and this film fails to unleash it",[32] though Renuka Vyavahare ofThe Times of India felt he was "likeable in his character".[33] Both films received mixed to negative response from critics and were declared to be box office flops.[18]
Fazal next took the lead role in the psychological horror thrillerKhamoshiyan (2015).[34] He portrayed the role of Kabir, an alcoholic novelist, whose failed career and relationship forced him to move to Kashmir in search of an inspirational story. The film was a critical failure, though Fazal's performance was well received.Bollywood Hungama said: "He has a wide range of emotions that effortlessly inhabit his face".[35]The Hindu critic Arjun Kumar described him as a "natural performer with effective screen presence".[36] Reportedly, Fazal was offered a role in the American political thriller television seriesHomeland, but he had to reject the offer since he had already commenced shooting forKhamoshiyan and ultimately the role went toNimrat Kaur.[37][38]
Fazal made his Hollywood film debut with a special appearance in the action filmFurious 7, the seventh instalment inThe Fast and the Furious film series.[39] In the film review,The Hindu wrote: "Ali Fazal turns up in a fleeting cameo and before we could breathe in his presence he is ejected out of the scenery".[40] Fazal said that he had only three scenes, but Subhash K. Jha fromBollywood Hungama considered those scenes "delightful". But it must be considered as a part of the story in furious as the friend of Ramsey.[41][42]
Fazal was next seen in an Indo-American film,For Here Or To Go? which revolves around two Indian immigrants who find it difficult to build a successful life away from home. The film was played at many international film festivals.[43] That same year, Fazal played the leading role in theYash Raj Films youth studioY-Films web seriesBang Baaja Baaraat.[44]
In 2016 Fazal played inAnand L. Rai'sHappy Bhag Jayegi oppositeAbhay Deol and Diana Penty. The film was a critical and commercial success.[45] Fazal featured alongsideKalki Koechlin, inSoni Razdan'sLove Affair, a fictionalised version of the 1959Nanavati murder case.[46][47] In addition, he has committed to star oppositeShriya Saran inPrakash Raj's romantic comedyTadka.[48]
In 2017, Fazal appeared in the sequelFukrey Returns. He also starred in the British-American filmVictoria & Abdul, which depicts the relationship ofQueen Victoria (Judi Dench) and her confidant, Indian servantAbdul Karim.
In 2018, he appeared in the spin-offHappy Phirr Bhag Jayegi and played Guddu Pandit in the web seriesMirzapur.
In 2019, he was cast inMilan Talkies,Prassthanam, and Netflix filmHouse Arrest.
In 2020 he continued his role of Guddu Pandit inMirzapur season 2. He has also been cast in the filmDeath on the Nile as Andrew Katchadouriaan, a film based onAgatha Christie's novel of thesame name.
In 2021 he turned producer. He started his own film production company named Pushing Buttons Studios withRicha Chadha.[49][50]
A practising Muslim, Fazal performed theUmrah pilgrimage in January 2022. He shared his journey toMecca andMedina on Instagram.[51]
Fazal had been in a relationship withRicha Chadha, though their marriage plans had to be postponed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[52] On 23 September 2022, he and Chadha announced their impending marriage and said that the ceremony would beeco-friendly.[53]On 4 October 2022, they married in a ceremony inLucknow.[54]The couple welcomed their first child, a baby girl, on 16 July 2024.The couple announced that they have named their daughter Zuneyra Ida Fazal.[55]
On 17 June 2020, Fazal's mother passed away[56] due to health complications inLucknow. Ali Fazal's grandfather died on Saturday 24 April 2021.[57]
In February 2015, Fazal joined a Cancerthon organised byNDTV andFortis to create awareness about cancer and raise funds for children battling the disease. He has though now[when?] left the work.[58] Along withTochi Raina, Fazal participated in a musical concert to raise funds for victims of theearthquake in Nepal.[59] In 2014, Fazal made an entry inThe Times of India's listing of the "Most Desirable Man".[60] In 2019 Power Brands honoured Fazal with “Power Brand: Industry Trendsetter” at BFJA (Bollywood Film Journalist's Awards).[61]
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Language | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | The Other End of the Line | Vij | Hindi,English | Bilingual film | [12] |
| 2009 | 3 Idiots | Joy Lobo | Hindi | [62] | |
| Ek Tho Chance | Smridh | [6] | |||
| 2011 | Always Kabhi Kabhi | Sameer "Sam" Khanna | [63] | ||
| 2013 | Fukrey | Zafar Khan | [64] | ||
| Baat Ban Gayi | Kabir / Rasiya Bihari | [65] | |||
| 2014 | Bobby Jasoos | Tasawur Sheikh | [66] | ||
| Sonali Cable | Raghu | [67] | |||
| Khoobsurat | Prince Charming | ||||
| 2015 | Khamoshiyan | Kabir Walia | [68] | ||
| For Here Or To Go? | Vivek Pandit | Hindi, English | Bilingual film | [43] [69] | |
| Furious 7 | Safar | English | [70] [71] | ||
| 2016 | Xuanzang | Jayaram | Chinese | ||
| Happy Bhag Jayegi | Gurdeep "Guddu" Singh | Hindi | [72] | ||
| 2017 | Love Affair | Kawas Manekshaw Nanavati | [47] | ||
| Fukrey Returns | Zafar Khan | [73] | |||
| Victoria & Abdul | Abdul Karim | English | [48] | ||
| 2018 | Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi | Gurdeep "Guddu" Singh | Hindi | [74] | |
| 2019 | Milan Talkies | Annu | [75] | ||
| Prassthanam | Ayushmann Singh | [76] | |||
| House Arrest | Karan | [77] | |||
| 2022 | Death on the Nile | Andrew Katchadourian | English | ||
| Tadka | Siddharth | Hindi | |||
| 2023 | Kandahar | Kahil | English | [78] | |
| Fukrey 3 | Zafar Khan | Hindi | Cameo appearance | [79] | |
| Khufiya | Ravi Mohan | [80] [81] | |||
| 2025 | Metro... In Dino† | TBA | [82] | ||
| Lahore 1947† | TBA | Filming | [83] | ||
| Thug Life† | TBA | Tamil | Filming | [84] |
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Platform | Notes | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Bollywood Hero | Monty Kapoor | IFC | 3 episodes | |
| 2015 | Bang Baaja Baaraat | Pawan Sharma | Y-Films | 5 episodes | [85] |
| 2016 | Sex Chat with Pappu & Papa | Himself | Episode: "Pregnancy" | ||
| 2018–present | Mirzapur | Govind 'Guddu' Pandit | Amazon Prime Video | 29 episodes | [86] |
| 2019 | Mind the Malhotras | Himself | Episode: "He Says, She Says" | [87] | |
| 2020 | Forbidden Love | Dev | ZEE5 | Episode: "Arranged Marriage" | [88] |
| 2021 | Ray | Ipsit Nair | Netflix | Episode: "Forget Me Not" | [89] |
| Call My Agent: Bollywood | Himself | Episode 5 | |||
| 2024 | Solo Leveling | Song Chi-yul | Crunchyroll | Voice, Hindi dub | [90] |
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Sleeping Awake | Unknown | ||
| 2012 | According To Plan A | Abhi | [citation needed] | |
| 2015 | Cheers | Himself | [91] | |
| 2017 | Triyacharitra | Ajay Rawat | ||
| 2020 | Listen to Her | Husband | ||
| 2021 | Prince Innerwear | Unknown | ||
| 2022 | The Astronaut and His Parrot | TBA | [92] |
| Year | Title | Singer(d) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | "Pyaar Manga Hai" | Armaan Malik,Neeti Mohan | [93] |
| 2020 | "Aaj Bhi" | Vishal Mishra | [94] |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Hamptons International Film Festival | Variety 10 Actors to Watch | — | Won | [citation needed] |
| 2021 | Indian Television Academy Awards | Best Actor – Web Series | Mirzapur | Nominated | |
| Filmfare OTT Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | [95] |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
