Showing posts with label Kenneth Branagh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kenneth Branagh. Show all posts
Somebody had to go out there and land these parts; that’s how we will get better stories out there-Ali Fazal
8:10 AM
As his murder mystery Death On The Nile hits screens, Ali Fazal discusses his role in paving the way for more South Asian actors to find a footing in the West
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 11, 2022)
It could be deemed a special week for Indian artistes. After the documentary Writing with Fire was nominated for the Oscars, Ali Fazal’s international project Death On The Nile releases today. When we connect with him shortly after the film’s London premiere, we obviously begin our chat with the long wait to the marquee. The release of the Agatha Christie adaptation, shot in late 2019, was held off due to the pandemic.
“When you wait so long, you get worried if people don’t like the film. I have watched the film at the premiere; my biggest takeaway is that it’s shot on a film camera, and is a spectacle. Kenneth [Branagh, actor-director] has managed to create the 1930s in an interesting way. My part was tailor-made. My character Uncle Andrew has been made younger; now, I play cousin to Gal Gadot’s Lynette. The plot is 80 years old, so Agatha fans know how it ends. That said, I hope they still enjoy how it unravels,” says Fazal.
As an ardent Agatha Christie fan, this is a special film for him. It’s also his widest release till date, the actor says, almost with a hint of disbelief. “We are releasing a record number of screens. 3300 in the US. Some 10,000 screens in China. More in Europe and Australia.”
The London premiere was extra special for the team, says Fazal. The team partied at the Egypt section of the British Museum, catching up with each other. “It was really posh, may I say. Some of our key cast couldn’t make it due to prior commitments, but for all of us who were there, we really had a swell time. We were chatting about scripts, stories and Oscar nominations. And just the next morning, Kenneth’s Belfast has 6 nominations. We were all so excited for him and it’s a great time for him to return with a bang! We got all sorts of reactions after the premiere. I got a lot of reactions from Academy members and people very sweetly texted. We are expecting all sorts of reactions.”
The mystery thriller boasts a diverse cast, consisting of Branagh, Gadot, Fazal, Russell Brand and Letitia Wright, among others. It speaks volumes about Hollywood’s endeavour to become inclusive. How does he perceive his role in paving the way for more south Asian actors to get leading parts in international movies? “For the longest time, I did not pay attention to my own work, instead humbling my way through it. But I’m glad I am a part of this door opening for the rest of the clan. Somebody had to go out there and land these parts. It is important that we all champion each other. I would be happy if five other Indians bag five more leading parts. That’s how we will get better stories out there. These are the few genres like whodunits and superhero films that commit to a geography. In this film, I play an English man. We aren’t preaching our ethnicity; we are blending into the narrative.”
Over the years, Fazal has managed to balance his Bollywood and international commitments –where there’s Kandahar with Gerard Butler, there’s also Vishal Bhardwaj’s Khufiya and the next season of Mirzapur on home turf. “It really matters the kind of filmmakers you work with. For instance, Kandahar is helmed by Rick Roman Waugh who is known for his large scale films. He is all heart. He understands action so well. This movie is a global story. You know Kandahar from the name and with all the turmoil that the country is going through, it’s not one of those run-of-the-mill Uncle Sam saves the day kinda movies. I am so proud of it. Of course, it’s an action film that has all the adrenaline for the junkies but it has a strong narrative. I think with each story something shifts inside me. I see so much I want to tell as an actor. Time becomes a fight sometimes. When you have one in the West, you lose some work at home. But I want to balance this right. Humare ghar ki kitni kahaniya sunani hai. We are going through so much as a nation and as an artiste, I want to tell stories at a time like this. This tryst is what holds me back from pursuing Hollywood alone. There is a desire to do more and better. I am so excited to work with Vishal-ji again next week. They were really sweet to wait for Kandahar to get over. Vishal-ji is one director who pushed me out of my comfort zone. I like to be challenged, otherwise what’s predictable is also just as boring.”
Russell Brand kept me sane during the lockdown last year-Ali Fazal
8:11 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; January 9, 2021)
Talking about his other co-stars in the film, Ali shares, “Gal is wonderful to work with, and I had met Armie before. Yes, I had to work on my British accent for the film, but that is not something I want to boast about. An actor has to do whatever it takes to get into his character. It’s expected of us.”
Recalling an interesting incident during the shoot, he says, “Working on this film felt like a party, but no one ever lost focus. Ken (director Kenneth Branagh) made sure we got along well and got to know each other. For the shoot, we were on our way to the cruise in a small boat. It was a 20-minute journey, and on the way, he made these chits. And we played a quiz, which helped us to get to know each other. That was such a nice gesture.”
Ali Fazal and Gal Gadot to unite on September 30 in London for Death On The Nile
7:59 AM
The co-stars are uniting on September 30 to kick off new retelling of Death On The Nile, which will be directed by Kenneth Branagh
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 28, 2019)
After sharing screen space with Academy Award winning veteran actress Judi Dench in the 2017 biographical comedy-drama Victoria & Abdul, Ali Fazal is gearing up for his next Hollywood outing. Also featuring Wonder Woman breakout star Gal Gadot, the film is a modern-day adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel Death on the Nile and will be directed by another British heavyweight, Kenneth Branagh, who has earlier helmed the Chris Hemsworth starrer Thor and Murder On The Orient Express, featuring Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz.A source close to the project informs Mirror that Ali will start filming for the project on September 30 in the Queen’s City. “Ali left for London last week and has been prepping for his part with the rest of the actors ever since. The film will be shot across the United Kingdom and Ali will be there for around two months before returning to Mumbai,” the source adds.
Death on the Nile was previously adapted for the screen in 1978 with Maggie Smith, Mia Farrow and Bette Davis, among others, and won the Oscar for Best Costume Design at the 51st edition of the award ceremony. When Mirror reached out to Ali, the actor said, “I’ve read the novel and had watched the earlier adaptation a long time ago. It was a great ensemble and now we are revisiting that great masterpiece. I feel blessed because it’s in Sir Kenneth Branagh’s hands. Also, for me the most essential prep is to get to know my costumes and look, once that part is sorted, everything else will follow. I have been focussing solely on that for the past one week.”
The film, which also features Call Me By Your Name actor Armie Hammer, is part of a series which earlier saw the highly successful Murder on the Orient Express. “Since I don’t play an Indian in the film, there is a dialect teacher on the set to train me and a bunch of others. I cannot reveal just yet what kind of accents we’re doing. All I can say is that I’m excited as there is a lot to look forward to and some big shoes to fill in. We’ve got an amazing cast,” Ali signs off.
I want to change cliches about Indian actors in the West-Ali Fazal
8:13 AM
With the lead role opposite Gal Gadot in Death On The Nile under his belt, Ali Fazal shares his Hollywood dreams
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 23, 2019)
"I did a look test for the film a year ago," begins Ali Fazal, when he connects with us over a phone call from London. B-Town was taken by surprise last week when it was announced that the actor has been chosen to play the parallel lead opposite Wonder Woman (2017) star Gal Gadot in Kenneth Branagh's Death On The Nile. "It was finally earlier this year that Kenneth told me that he wanted me to be part of it. When we met for costume trials, I knew I wanted to do this film." Branagh, who helmed The Murder On The Orient Express (2017), has put together an equally impressive cast — that includes Armie Hammer, Annette Bening and Letitia Wright — for the adaptation of the Agatha Christie book. The actor's excitement about meeting Gadot is understandable. "Gal is sensational. I am yet to meet her; she joins us next week."With Indian actors frequently earning a place in Hollywood projects, the stereotype around them is fast fading. "The ethnicity of my character is not key to the plot here. The guy could pass off as a man of Indian origin, but that's not instrumental to the events. The language is a challenge here, but only as much as it is in, say Mirzapur, where the diction is key to the plot. I am hell-bent on changing the clichés of what an Indian actor in the West should be like."
Crediting Victoria & Abdul (2017) for altering his career trajectory, Fazal hopes to strike the right balance between Bollywood and Hollywood commitments hereon. "The shoot of Bhoot Police had to be shifted because of this film. Juggling projects takes a toll, but I am not complaining. [The two worlds] can co-exist. I don't have to shift to Los Angeles to be in Hollywood. I can live in India, and fly in and out for shoots. I want to create a difference [with my films]."
Ali Fazal and Gal Gadot in Agatha Christie’s Death On The Nile adaptation
8:07 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; September 12, 2019)
After working with Dame Judi Dench in Victoria & Abdul, Ali Fazal has bagged another biggie. The actor will be seen in the film adaptation of Agatha Christie’s 1937 detective fiction novel, Death On The Nile, which will be directed by Kenneth Branagh. The director, who has previously helmed movies like Murder On The Orient Express and the Thor series, will continue to play detective Hercule Poirot in the film.
Like Victoria & Abdul, Ali’s next, too, has a stellar cast, including Wonder Woman Gal Gadot and Armie Hammer, to name a few. The film explores Poirot’s investigation of a murder that takes place in a cruise on the Nile. As the probe begins, a handful of suspects emerge, but later, several of them meet their demise, further deepening the mystery.The film is part of the detective series, which earlier saw the star-studded Murder On The Orient Express (2017), starring the likes of Penelope Cruz and Johnny Depp. Death On The Nile has previously been made in 1978, starring legends, including Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, Mia Farrow and others. The film is slated to go on floors later this month in London and parts of Europe.
Confirming the news, Ali told Bombay Times, “Yes, I am a part of this wonderful journey and I am looking forward to it. My mother and I have always been huge fans of Agatha Christie novels, so this is special.” About working with director Kenneth Branagh, he added, “Kenneth is a master of his craft and I’m excited to be directed by him. And what a stellar cast to join hands with on this project!”
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