Bollywood actor Ali Fazal has said that his international film commitments have affected his presence in the Indian film industry, leading to missed opportunities in several local projects.
In an interview with a Indian media outlet, Fazal admitted that while working in Hollywood brought global recognition, it also distanced him from the Indian audience. “Because of international projects, I lost many Indian films. My co-actors did a great job in them, and I’m happy for that, but yes, I missed out,” he said.
Fazal has played both minor and leading roles in major Hollywood productions. He appeared in small but notable roles in Fast and Furious 7 and Death on the Nile, while also leading films such as Victoria and Abdul alongside Dame Judi Dench and Kandahar opposite Gerard Butler.
However, the actor pointed out that straddling both industries is not an easy task. “Balancing Indian and international cinema is very difficult. My Indian releases get delayed because of my work abroad. Fans often ask why I’m not visible locally, and I understand their concerns,” Fazal shared.
Unlike many Bollywood actors who seek fame and fortune in the West, Fazal has remained focused on the craft. “I don’t care about the glamour or the noise. I just want people to see my work globally,” he said, noting that he has quietly built a profile in Hollywood without much fanfare.
Fazal, who earned critical acclaim for his performance in the Mirzapur web series, is now shifting his focus back to Hindi cinema. He was recently seen in Anurag Basu’s romantic drama Metro In Dino. His upcoming projects include Lahore 1947, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and starring Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Shilpa Shetty, and Shabana Azmi.
Following that, Fazal will reprise his fan-favourite role of Guddu Pandit in the final chapter of Amazon Prime Video’s Mirzapur series.
