When Milan Talkies actor Ali Fazal helped his aunt for a cause

Ali Fazal

Ali Fazal is back from the first schedule of Tigmanshu Dhulia's Milan Talkies, which was shot in hometown, Lucknow. During his stay, the actor helped his aunt Yasmin Saeed's campaign to give local chikankari artisans their due. He wants to ensure that middlemen do not gobble up the bulk of their sale proceeds.

Ali Fazal says he feels a "deep" connect to the project as he not just acted in it, but did other roles behind the camera. "We just wrapped a hectic schedule in Mathura and Lucknow for 'Milan Talkies'. It's been surreal, this journey with my maestro - Tigmanshu Dhulia. Cinema isn't just what we see on that one Friday; it's this! This is an artiste's life," Ali said in a statement in April.

"The days we make magic and create, despite all odds in some cases. This will probably be the only film where I have acted, operated camera a few times and called in slates. So my connection is deep with this one," he added. The film has been in the pipeline for over six years and has finally wrapped up its north Indian schedule, with the Mumbai schedule of the shoot to commence next month. While Shraddha Srinath will make her debut with the film, it also features Reecha Sinha and Deep Raj Rana, Sanjay Mishra and Ashutosh Rana.

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