Born in Lucknow, he thought of conquering cinema through his acting skills and he did manage to make his own space after a lot of hardships. He has seen a very turbulent graph in Bollywood but he is reaching new heights in Hollywood every day. In the process, he has learnt a lot about how Indian cinema functions and has always been vocal about his understanding of different movie cultures.

Many cinephiles have always addressed Indian cinema as Bollywood and restricted its value. Ali has spoken the reality that many cinema lovers need to understand that Bollywood alone is not Indian cinema. He told Hindustan Times, “Indian cinema is not all Bollywood and that’s a barrier that’s been hard to break. I am so indebted to the incredible work of Irrfan Bhai, Om sa’ab, Saeed Jaffrey, Shashi Kapoor who have strived to secure better roles and created better opportunities for us. A lead part in roles has been possible for me because of their contribution and bravery.” 

We totally agree with Ali that people need to start seeing beyond Bollywood and start accepting the fact, we have more to offer when it comes to Indian cinema. We have, for years, ignored the relevance of regional cinema and independent filmmakers. 

As he is now a part of Hollywood, he understands that how artists such as Shashi Kapoor, Om Puri, and Irrfan have worked hard to create a platform for Indian actors overseas. 

On this, he added, “Choices don’t come to you on a platter no matter which industry you belong to. And when it’s an industry that’s not familiar with you, your body of work, and judging your abilities from their own set notions, it’s an even tougher feat. For decades, masterful filmmakers and actors have systematically worked towards depicting the real India on screen.”

On the work front, he is awaiting the release of Death On The Nile and is looking forward to shooting for Code Name Johnny Walker.

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