YOUNG BLOOD

“I can think of a zillion things that make me happy about her [Richa], but somehow I feel weird sharing them.”

Shirt, Truine; jacket, Moral Science; bracelets, H&M; sunglasses, Gucci

Ali Fazal has been making strides in both Bollywood and Hollywood. Not one to shy away from experimenting with different kinds of roles and platforms, his professional risks (unpremeditated, Ali insists), have paid off in the form of plum projects. His most recent sighting was in Forget Me Not—part of Netflix's four-episode series, Ray. And it is commendable to see him slip into the skin of a corporate shark so easily—in the form of Ipsit Nair, his character in Ray—a polar opposite from his role in Mirzapur.

Professional success aside, the past year has been a mixed bag of emotions for the 34-year-old, as he lost his mother [in June, 2020], and then grandfather [in April this year]. His plans to marry a long-time girlfriend and now fiancée, Richa Chadha, also got pushed due to the pandemic and personal tragedies.

We catch up with Ali just days after Ray's release, and the charming-but-reticent-actor skillfully answers our questions, revealing just what he deems fit, leaving us wanting to know more. Here's an excerpt from our chat:

Cosmo: Tell us a little about your character in Forget Me Not.

Ali Fazal: “It was certainly a different character...something I have not explored before. Ipsit Nair is an overachiever, and it is the clichéd way to portray the multi-talented guy. You know, his persona, the cockiness, he is in a lot of places at once. And I know people like that—maybe not as erratic as this guy, but you find people like him in the corporate world. So yeah, I tried to flesh it out to the best of my abilities.”