Ali Fazal Plays Abdul with Omar Sharif Charm in Victoria and Abdul

Can you imagine being a 30-year star who lands the role of a lifetime WITH one of Britain’s most famous ABOUT one of Britain’s most famous?  Ali Fazal knows that reality all too well playing the role of Abdul, a young Indian man who becomes one of Queen Victoria’s most trusted confidantes during the last 15 days of her life in the Focus Feature Film “Victoria and Abdul.”

Fazal admitted as a young man from India, how he was painfully unaware of this historical event.  We can say the same in America about some people we’ve learned about not in history books like Solomon Northrup (12 Years a Slave) and the women of color who practically ran the space program at NASA featured in the hit film Hidden Figures.

Meeting a Dame, nor was the fact that this relationship with Queen Elizabeth was almost like a period-piece buddy movie of sorts ,was not lost on this amazing actor mostly known in Bollywood circles…until the Fast & Furious franchise came knocking.

While watching the film, I couldn’t help but think that Fazal is spectacularly reminiscent of a young Omar Sharif from ” Funny Girl.”  His charisma and chemistry with Dench is undeniable, simply making them an onscreen duo for the ages.  My friend and colleague Albert Lawrence from CBS’ Innovation Nation (@alberttalks) recently sat down and spoke with Ali Fazal on behalf of The Curvy Film Critic.  Take a listen…

ALI FAZAL INTERVIEW WITH ALBERT LAWRENCE FOR

THE CURVY CRITIC

 

If you’re not familiar with Ali Fazal, it doesn’t matter.  I am confident that we will see so much of him in the near future that he will be like the the title song from FAME – Baby, Remember my name.

Victoria and Abdul opened in select cities in September and can be seen everywhere THIS FRIDAY, October 6th.