Ali Fazal: ‘Working with a force of nature like Phoebe Waller-Bridge is great’

Ali Fazal says 2025 will be promising as he looks forward to the release of his ‘dream project’ Rule Breakers opposite Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Almost all of us approach a new year with optimism. When Ali Fazal says that 2025 might be the year he has long waited for, it’s coming from a place of optimism and conviction. “For me, 2025 feels like a culmination of the years of hard work and passion. I’m excited about my diverse range of projects this year,” says the actor. From Anurag Basu’s Metro... In Dino to Mani Ratnam’s Thug Life, from Rajkumar Santoshi’s Lahore 1947 to Mirzapur: The Film and Raj-DK’s web series Rakt Bramhand, Fazal’s line-up is varied.

But of all the projects, the most talked about is Rule Breakers, in which he shares screen space with Fleabag actor-writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Bill Guttentag’s directorial venture is based on the true story of an Afghan start-up founder, who encouraged high-school girls to learn robotics. Set between 2017 and 2019, the film follows this determined group as they challenge traditions, navigate political turmoil, and represent Afghanistan in international competitions.

“Rule Breakers is my dream project,” smiles Fazal, before adding, “Sharing the screen with Phoebe Waller-Bridge and working on such a universal story is a matter of prestige. I’m incredibly proud to be part of a film that carries such a powerful message. This is a story every parent should take their children to watch. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s presence has elevated the film. We portray key figures in the protagonist Roya Mahboob’s life. Sharing this experience with an actor like Phoebe, who is a force of nature, is great. Stories like these need to be told.”

On home turf, the actor has three big movies lined up. Fazal is excited about Lahore 1947, which is fronted by Sunny Deol and produced by Aamir Khan. “As an actor, few opportunities come close to the privilege of working with the two powerhouses of Indian cinema. They have such different energies, working styles and what they see in a story. To share the screen with Sunny sir, whose presence is synonymous with intensity, fills me with gratitude. And to be guided by Aamir sir, who knows how to redefine storytelling with his meticulous approach, is an opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute to a film as an artiste,” says Fazal.

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