15 October,2024 09:37 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ali Fazal
Ali Fazal's easy charm and unmistakable talent when it comes to his craft gained him attention in Hollywood. With roles in Furious 7 and Death On The Nile, Ali Fazal is no stranger to Hollywood. In 2017, he starred alongside the incredibly talented Judi Dench in Victoria and Abdul. And, more recently, he played the main villain in the hit movie Kandahar, starring Gerard Butler. With these roles, Fazal seems to be making his mark in Hollywood. On that note, let's take a look at some of his key roles in international films.
Furious 7
Ali Fazal made his Hollywood debut with the blockbuster Furious 7, part of the Fast & Furious franchise. Though his role was small, playing Safar, a charming tech-savvy car dealer in Abu Dhabi, it gave him global exposure and opened doors for future opportunities. Sharing screen space with stars like Vin Diesel and Paul Walker gave Fazal his first taste of the Hollywood spotlight.
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Victoria & Abdul
Perhaps Fazal's most significant Hollywood role came when he starred opposite British actress Dame Judi Dench in Victoria & Abdul. The historical drama, directed by Stephen Frears, tells the true story of the unlikely friendship between Queen Victoria and her Indian servant, Abdul Karim. In the film, Fazal plays Abdul Karim, a young clerk who becomes the Queen's confidant. His performance was widely praised for its nuance and depth, holding his own alongside Dench.
Death on the Nile
Another notable Hollywood appearance for Fazal was in Kenneth Branagh's Death on the Nile, an adaptation of Agatha Christie's classic novel. Ali Fazal played Andrew Katchadourian, a lawyer caught up in the murder mystery aboard a luxury cruise on the Nile River. Though the film boasted an ensemble cast, including Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, and Branagh himself as Hercule Poirot, Fazal's performance stood out as he brought a quiet intensity to his role.
Kandahar
Ali Fazal also starred in Kandahar, an action-thriller alongside Gerard Butler. Directed by Ric Roman Waugh, this film saw Fazal in a grittier, action-packed role, adding a new dimension to his Hollywood career. Set in the Middle East, the movie follows a CIA operative and his translator as they escape hostile territory after an intelligence leak. This role allowed Fazal to dive into an intense, fast-paced genre, proving his range.
From his debut in Furious 7 to starring alongside Judi Dench in Victoria & Abdul, and now working with the likes of Gerard Butler in Kandahar, Fazal has shown he can adapt to any role with ease.