Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 3, 2018)

Slipping into the role of a filmmaker in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Milan Talkies, Ali Fazal navigated his way to many a editing tables of 2018’s films. “Three,” to be precise, he tells mid-day, adding that while “iconic”, he cannot reveal their names, lest he “discredit the editors”. Fazal understood the importance of editing in the filmmaking process early on in his career. “Actors act. Directors direct. But, filmmakers helm the entire show. My experience on working on various sets [web shows and films] helped me understand how to play my character, Annu. But the real challenge was understanding the mind of a small-town filmmaker.”

Fazal understands that financial constraints amend the way small-town filmmakers create movies. “Someone like him would probably have no budget for his film, and would hence need to do jugaad to have it his way.” Having turned to Dhulia for cues on nabbing his act, Fazal said the response he got was simple. “Watch and observe me on set,” Dhulia had told him. “So, much of what you see in me in the film is a young Tigmanshu Dhulia at work. His mannerisms are infectious; his style is cool. For an actor to have his director as inspiration is educative.”