Ali Fazal opens up about losing work and questioning violent scenes in “Mirzapur”
- Ali Fazal, an actor, shares his experience with violent scenes in “Mirzapur” and the moral dilemmas he faces.
- Fazal manages these conflicts by fully immersing himself in the role, comparing it to meditation.
- He shares a personal experience of feeling morally wrong after filming a scene where his character killed someone.
- He has confirmed his role in the Hollywood film “Rule Breakers”, starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Ali Fazal recently discussed his experience with violent scenes in “Mirzapur”, explaining how he often questioned their necessity. He recalled a specific moment when, after filming a brutal scene, he felt unable to redeem himself. The actor also revealed that his commitment to his principles led him to lose several opportunities, as he refuses to compromise when things go too far.
In a conversation with Sucharita Tyagi, Ali Fazal discussed the moral dilemmas he faces with his roles, particularly in “Mirzapur”. He admitted that the show’s violence conflicted with his nature. While he has become more comfortable watching violent content recently, he still struggles with the actions required of him in the series. He explained that “Mirzapur”’s violent nature challenges him, as it doesn’t align with his values.
When asked how he handles these conflicts, the “Mirzapur” actor explained that he manages by fully immersing himself in the role. He described the process as requiring intense focus, likening it to meditation.
For Ali, two meditative moments in life exist: watching a film in a theater and shooting a scene. The chaos surrounding the shoot doesn’t affect him, but once the camera starts rolling, he feels a sense of peace and purpose.
Ali Fazal also revealed that he has always voiced his discomfort with certain scenes, especially when they go too far. He acknowledged that, due to his privilege, he is now in a better position to speak up, though this has sometimes cost him work.
He said, “That’s probably why I’ve lost out on a lot of work. But those moral dilemmas happen.” Reflecting on his time in Mirzapur, he recalled a scene where his character kills someone in a way he felt was completely unnecessary.
He couldn’t come to terms with it, both as an actor and as his character, feeling that the act was morally wrong and questioning why it was written in the first place. Ali said, “I just couldn’t redeem myself. The character also couldn’t have redeemed itself from that. I thought it was just wrong—why would you write that?”
The actor further shared that he often found himself at odds with his thoughts and his character’s actions, trying not to judge the situation. At the same time, he would question the filmmaker, asking, “Why?” He said, “I’m asking the filmmaker, ‘Why?’ But then there are so many whys.”
However, he added that those questions could quickly pile up, leading to tense discussions with the writers and directors, which sometimes escalated into difficult conversations.
Ali shared that “it took him some time to watch the hit show, which recently released its third season, due to the violence. However, he’s gradually becoming desensitized to it. He explained that exposure to real-world violence through the news made him realize that he has to learn to handle it.”
On the work front, Ali Fazal has an exciting lineup ahead, with upcoming roles in Anurag Basu’s “Metro… In Dino”, Sunny Deol’s “Lahore 1947”, and Kamal Haasan’s “Thug Life”. He also appeared in the teaser for “Mirzapur – The Film”, a cinematic adaptation of the popular crime thriller series.
Ali has confirmed his role in the Hollywood film “Rule Breakers”, which also stars writer-actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
