We started off this conversation talking about how hectic things have been for Ali Fazal over the past few months. “I have been on the road quite a bit,” he says. But the actor-producer who has spent the last couple of years between Bollywood and Hollywood (with quite a few prestige projects in the West) is now looking to grow roots in India for a while, primarily for his 11-month-old daughter Zuneyra.
The 38-year-old actor also has a slew of interesting projects in Mumbai in the works, including the Mirzapur film. As he awaits the release of Anurag Basu’s anthology film — Metro... In Dino — this Friday, that also stars Aditya Roy Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Konkona Sensharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Neena Gupta and Anupam Kher, Ali made time for a chat with t2.
Considering that Anurag Basu is known to work on his films till the last minute, safe to say you haven’t watched Metro... In Dino yet?
I think none of us have got a chance to watch it yet. He likes tweaking things here and there. We are all excited to see ki kya banaa hain.
What made you want to work in this film?
The fact that it was a way to begin work with Anurag Basu, and also a safe way to begin, with such lovely actors flanking me on all sides. I felt this film would be a great way to build this relationship with him. He has been really sweet and Metro... In Dino has been a very, very interesting process to be part of... you get to learn a lot with Basu sir because he has a very different style of working. I am sure all his actors say the same thing. He often sits behind the camera and operates it, which is unlike most other directors. In doing so, what happens is that he really ‘sees’ you. He manages to pierce through a lot of other things and be there with you in that moment. That is a very, very comforting thing.
He is also known to not give actors a script beforehand. You pretty much learn what you are doing only when you land up on set every day and go with the flow. Was that the case here too?
There is a basic sort of template. But he works in the way he does because he has good reason for that. He designs scenes like that where he can juice out the best performances from his actors. He doesn’t like pre-prep and presumed thought.
Filmmaking is not just about the actor. A scene is created by so many other factors, machines and people. What he does is actually amazing because the only magical element left after you fix all the other elements is the actor, a human instinct. So you want to let it loose.
What were your biggest learnings from being part of a process like this?
Being very, very aware. It teaches you how to be attentive, increases your focus. That is because you could be hit from any side... and that is the fun of it. It felt like my brain was automatically working 10 times more without having to prepare anything. It felt easy. I didn’t feel strained or drained... I really enjoyed it.
This is also a romantic role for you after a while. Did that also play a role in wanting to work in this film?
Yes. It is a sweet film. There are four stories and every story is kind of woven into the other. It explores the romantic side of me as an actor, something that I haven’t been involved with in a while. For me, it is also an outing in the theatres after a while.
From the Fukrey films in Bollywood to Death on the Nile in Hollywood, you have been part of some rich and successful ensembles. What was it like working with this group of actors. Or, much like most of Anurag Basu’s films, was each segment treated and shot separately?
The interaction and overlap was rather limited, to be honest. Some of my stuff overlaps with Aditya’s (Roy Kapoor) and Sara’s (Ali Khan) story, but I didn’t work with the others. It was refreshing and interesting in many ways.
There is actually a funny incident attached to this. The other day, Pankajji (Tripathi) and I met at the promotions and he started talking about a scene in the film where he was sitting in a car and my character was crossing the road and the car suddenly hits the brakes and screeches to a halt. He then said that we carry on after that. I was shocked. I had definitely shot a scene like that and there was a car involved, but I had no idea that Pankajji was supposed to be in that car! That is how Basu sir works.
What were your impressions of Life in a... Metro, the spiritual prequel to Metro... In Dino, when it released 18 years ago?
I remember watching it on television. The songs had become very big, and they are still evergreen. I am quite happy about the songs of our film also. The music launch was simply amazing. I have not seen songs work (with the live audience at the launch) the way they did. It felt like a great validation. The music has struck a chord, let’s hope the film also does that.
What else is on the anvil for you?
The current mindspace is that I want to stay close to home as much as I can now because of my daughter (Zuneyra). That is why I am trying to do work in and around Bombay, though I may be shooting something in New York. I am working on the Mirzapur film now and we are in the process of developing two other films that we (Ali and wife Richa Chadha) will be producing. We are producing a bunch of things now.
Your maiden production Girls will Be Girls made waves both in India and internationally, including a win at the prestigious Film Independent Spirit Awards. Did you ever think the film would travel so far?
Post the accolades at Sundance (Film Festival), we understood that we had something precious in our hands. And then, of course, it had a big journey and found its home at Amazon (Prime Video). We won at the Independent Spirit Awards and it was a beautiful way to close its journey.
We have now managed to do these few sales outside and that, hopefully, will bring us the money so that our financiers are fully paid off. The success of Girls Will Be Girls gives us confidence to want to be able to make films that we — and the audience — also want to see.