Ali Fazal grabs next Hollywood project

Actor Ali Fazal has bagged a role alongside ‘Wonder Woman’ star Gal Gadot in a film based on author Agatha Christie’s ‘Death on The Nile’.

After playing the titular lead in ‘Victoria & Abdul’, Fazal will now be seen in the on-screen modern-day adaptation of the novel.

It explores the investigation Hercule Poirot sets upon due to certain mysterious events that occur on a cruise ship on the Nile. As the investigation goes on and a handful of suspects come into question, several of the suspects also meet their demise, further deepening the mystery.

The film, to be directed by Kenneth Branagh, is said to be a follow up to ‘Murder on the Orient Express’.

“I am part of this wonderful journey and I look forward to it. My mother and I have always been huge fans of Agatha Christie novels,” said Fazal.

It begins production later this month in London and parts of Europe.

Having worked with the best of bests in both industries, Fazal, who has completed a decade’s run as an actor, is happy with the way his career has shaped up but not satisfied with it.

The actor ventured into the world of acting with a cameo in the Aamir Khan-starrer ‘3 Idiots’ in 2009. He was later seen in films such as ‘Always Kabhi Kabhi’, ‘Fukrey’, ‘Happy Bhag Jayegi’, ‘Fukrey Returns’ and ‘Milan Talkies’.

“I completed a decade this year. If I had to describe it then it has been generously democratic. I started with a cameo in ‘3 Idiots’ and then did ensemble and leading roles. Now, of course, there has been a lot of growth as an actor. I think I needed that. It was important and I am happy... I am on world stage and nice to be a part of that,” he said.

Later in his career, Fazal managed to feature in international movies such as ‘Furious 7’ and ‘Victoria & Abdul’.

The 32-year-old actor says the work culture — be it Bollywood or Hollywood — is defined by the “team you are working with”.

“Sometimes there are great teams that I have worked with in Bollywood, who just take utmost care and who are out there doing the right amount of pre production, and it shows — because content driven cinema is on the rise. But in Hollywood, it has been an old practice because there is so much more at stake there. The money is more -- their low-budget films come close to our high-budget films,” he said.

Fazal says he always looks forward to bridge these gaps.

“I just have to balance it and that’s sometimes kind of takes a toll,” he said.