As his murder mystery Death on the Nile hits screens, Ali Fazal discusses his role in paving the way for more South Asian actors to find a footing in the West
Ali Fazal. Pic/AFP
It could be deemed a special week for Indian artistes. After the documentary Writing with Fire was nominated for the Oscars, Ali Fazal’s international project Death on the Nile releases today. When we connect with him shortly after the film’s London premiere, we obviously begin our chat with the long wait to the marquee. The release of the Agatha Christie adaptation, shot in late 2019, was held off due to the pandemic. “When you wait so long, you get worried if people don’t like the film. I have watched the film at the premiere and it’s quite a spectacle. My biggest takeaway is that it’s shot on a film camera, and is a spectacle. Kenneth [Branagh, actor-director] has managed to create the 1930s in an interesting way. My part was tailor-made. My character Uncle Andrew has been made younger; now, I play cousin to Gal Gadot’s Lynette. The plot is 80 years old, so Agatha fans know how it ends. That said, I hope they still enjoy how it unravels,” says Fazal.
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As an ardent Agatha Christie fan, this is a special film for him. It’s also his widest release till date, the actor says, almost with a hint of disbelief. “We are releasing a record number of screens. 3300 in the US. Some 10,000 screens in China. More in Europe and Australia.”
Ali Fazal with Gal Gadot in the film
The London premiere was extra special for the team, says Fazal. The team partied at the Egypt section of the British Museum, catching up with each other. “It was really posh, may I say. Some of our key cast couldn’t make it due to prior commitments, but for all of us who were there, we really had a swell time. We were chatting about scripts, stories and Oscar nominations. And just the next morning, Kenneth’s Belfast has 6 nominations. We were all so excited for him and it’s a great time for him to return with a bang! We got all sorts of reactions after the premiere. I got a lot of reactions from Academy members and people very sweetly texted. We are expecting all sorts of reactions.”
The mystery thriller boasts a diverse cast, consisting of Branagh, Gadot, Fazal, Russell Brand and Letitia Wright, among others. It speaks volumes about Hollywood’s endeavour to become inclusive. How does he perceive his role in paving the way for more south Asian actors to get leading parts in international movies? “For the longest time, I did not pay attention to my own work, instead humbling my way through it. But I’m glad I am a part of this door opening for the rest of the clan. Somebody had to go out there and land these parts. It is important that we all champion each other. I would be happy if five other Indians bag five more leading parts. That’s how we will get better stories out there. These are the few genres like whodunits and superhero films that commit to a geography. In this film, I play an English man. We aren’t preaching our ethnicity; we are blending into the narrative.”
Over the years, Fazal has managed to balance his Bollywood and international commitments –where there’s Kandahar with Gerard Butler, there’s also Vishal Bhardwaj’s Khufiya and the next season of Mirzapur on home turf. “It really matters the kind of filmmakers you work with. For instance, Kandahar is helmed by Rick Roman Waugh who is known for his large scale films. He is all heart. He understands action so well. This movie is a global story. You know Kandahar from the name and with all the turmoil that the country is going through, it’s not one of those run-of-the-mill Uncle Sam saves the day kinda movies. I am so proud of it. Of course, it’s an action film that has all the adrenaline for the junkies but it has a strong narrative. I think with each story something shifts inside me. I see so much I want to tell as an actor. Time becomes a fight sometimes. When you have one in the West, you lose some work at home. But I want to balance this right. Humare ghar ki kitni kahaniya sunani hai. We are going through so much as a nation and as an artiste, I want to tell stories at a time like this. This tryst is what holds me back from pursuing Hollywood alone. There is a desire to do more and better. I am so excited to work with Vishal-ji again next week. They were really sweet to wait for Kandahar to get over. Vishal-ji is one director who pushed me out of my comfort zone. I like to be challenged, otherwise what’s predictable is also just as boring.”
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