Ali Fazal opens up about how Shah Rukh Khan did not do hand-holding despite launching him under his banner in Always Kabhi Kabhi. He also revealed how the film clashed with Student of the Year in terms of concepts and bombed
Ali Fazal
Regarded as one of the critically acclaimed actors of his generation, Ali Fazal has risen in ranks gradually, and what a growth story he has witnessed. While many of us would remember him as Joy Lobo, the engineering student who dies by suicide, writing “I Quit” on the walls of his room, from Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots. Well, Aamir Khan did have a hand in his career, but it was Shah Rukh Khan who had a bigger role to play.
If Aamir soft-launched him on the big screen as a supporting character, Shah Rukh gave him his first break as the lead in 2011. His first film as a lead, Always Kabhi Kabhi, was produced by Shah Rukh’s production house Red Chillies Entertainment. When he sat down to chat on mid-day’s podcast series The Bombay Film Story, he spoke about being launched by the King himself.
Ali Fazal about being launched by Shah Rukh Khan
Ali shared that apart from being his first big break, Always Kabhi Kabhi was also the first film Red Chillies was making without Shah Rukh Khan in it. He reveals that although the King actor tried promoting it, he too was busy with his own films. Ali said, “I think he tried a little, but he was busy with Ra.One at that time. But yes, for me it was a very cherished moment in time.”
He also highlights that the film came around the same time as Student of the Year, which featured a similar concept of high school students. He shares, “It was a teen drama. And then Student of the Year became like another version of this, much bigger, obviously. And we were like, ‘Oh shit!’ We were left out. It came during that time, had the same genre, a bunch of people being launched.”
Ali further talks about being ‘launched’, saying, “We weren't being launched. And I really respect that he (Shah Rukh Khan) didn't do that whole hand-holding, because he was never launched that way. I said, ‘Oka,y that's fine.’ I would not have it any other way.”
The Mirzapur actor further jokes, “Of course, when it bombed, I was like ‘shit, I wish he could have done it(promotion) a little more.’ But those are things you introspect, you always think and regret.”
Ali Fazal debut film
Always Kabhi Kabhi was released in 2011, and similar to SOTY, it launched three new faces, Ali Fazal, Zoa Morani, and Satyajeet Dubey. Just like Karan Johar’s Student of the Year starring Alia Bhatt, Sidharth Malhotra, and Varun Dhawan, Ali’s film was also about four teenagers embarking on a dramatic journey during their incident-packed final year at school.
It was helmed by Roshan Abbas and produced by Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan under their Red Chillies Production banner.
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