Why Ali said yes to 'Thug Life' despite limited role
What's the story
Actor Ali Fazal, who was recently seen in Mani Ratnam's Thug Life, has opened up about his limited role in the film. The film was panned by critics, but Fazal received positive reviews for his performance. In a recent interview with Mid-Day's podcast series The Bombay Film Story, he addressed these concerns and revealed why he chose to be a part of the project.
Role details
'I know I'm getting a lot of flak...': Fazal
Fazal confessed that he received a lot of backlash for his limited screen time. "I think a lot got edited. It was only meant to be 3-4 scenes. It was an interesting arc at the time, and I'm sure it went through hundreds of changes." "I know I'm getting a lot of flak," he added, referring to the criticism related to his limited screen time in Thug Life.
Career perspective
Fazal was excited to work with Haasan and AR Rahman
Despite the criticism, Fazal was motivated by the chance to work with legendary artists like Kamal Haasan and AR Rahman. "It's Mani sir, Kamal Haasan, and AR Rahman. I'm a big Mani fan. It was a no-brainer at the time," he said. "I didn't think about it. It was a small way to start, and I'm not new to that."
Mutual admiration
When Haasan praised Fazal
Before the film's release, Haasan had praised Fazal at the audio launch event. He said, "I saw you in Vishal's film (Khufiya) and I knew I wanted to work with you. And this man (Ratnam) made it happen. Ali is a very important actor for India." Fazal was understandably moved by the compliment and said that it was a "dream come true." The movie is streaming on Netflix.