Ali Fazal calls for more creative risk-taking in Bollywood

Actor Ali Fazal is set to star alongside Phoebe Waller-Bridge in the upcoming film Rule Breakers, which explores resilience and defiance in Afghanistan.

The film, inspired by Roya Mehboob, the founder of the Afghan Girls Robotics Team, features both actors in pivotal roles, with Fazal emphasizing their integral parts in the film’s core narrative. Despite not sharing many scenes with Waller-Bridge, Fazal’s role is crucial to the story.

While Fazal has found success across Bollywood, OTT, and Hollywood, he is critical of the formulaic approach that often dominates commercial cinema. He expresses, “Formula works once maybe. Not twice or thrice. We can’t keep pushing that. Ki ek cheez kaam kar gayi to uski 5 cheezein niklengi. That eco-system has to diversify. That shouldn’t be the only focus.”

He advocates for more creative risk-taking, urging filmmakers to “take a leap of faith” and explore new storytelling horizons.

Fazal, who opted out of Fukrey 3, shares that it wasn’t a deliberate attempt to avoid formula films but rather due to a commitment to Vishal Bhardwaj’s project. Reflecting on his career, he acknowledges the legacy of pioneers like Shashi Kapoor and Satyajit Ray. He adds, “Sadly we lost Irrfan bhai. He would have been beautifully blossoming right now.”

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