Ali Fazal is undoubtedly a powerhouse talent. He has an incredible knack for portraying the toughest roles with ease. His successful journey from Bollywood to Hollywood is inspiring. He delivered a tantalising performance in Kandahar but his role in Fukrey won my heart.

Fukrey released in 2013. It narrates the story of four students who wish to get admission to their dream college but their inadequate marks and financial constraints bar them from achieving their dreams. Ali plays the role of Zafar, a struggling musician, who joins hands with Lali, Hunny and Choocha to realise his dream. In one of their attempts to collect a large sum of money, they fall prey to the trap of a drug lord who assigns them the task of selling drugs at a rave party, only to be nabbed by the narcotics team. Afterwards, they go beyond the dream of avarice.

This comedy film offered some of the most hilarious dialogues as well as some impressive songs. Every cast member delivered a superb performance but Ali was outstanding. His calmness, his aura and his smile were swoon-worthy. He literally knows how to rule the screen in his own style. Looking forward to seeing him as one of the brightest stars of our generation. (My favourite Ali Fazal role is... June 27)

Aayman Anwar Ali

My favourite role played by Ali Fazal would be in the film Victoria & Abdul. Abdul is an Indian munshi shipped from India to erstwhile England, ruled by Queen Victoria. The friendship and camaraderie that develops between the duo is heartwarming. Abdul teaches Urdu and cooks Mughlai delicacies for the dowager queen. Acting-wise, Ali Fazal was not eclipsed by the great Dame Judi Dench who portrayed Queen Victoria. The proximity of the Queen with Abdul was not liked by other Royals. Hence they devised ways to get rid of Abdul, which they succeeded after the Queen's death. Ali Fazal played his role subtly and with poise. He portrayed naivety and loyalty to perfection.

Ravina Barman

My favourite Ali Fazal role is as Abdul in Victoria & Abdul, the 2017 British biographical film directed by Stephen Frears. The film is based on the book of the same name by Shrabani Basu, about the real-life relationship between Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her Indian servant Abdul Karim. Fazal, in a subdued yet mature role, was brilliant and he delivered an astonishing performance that lit up the screen.

Dyutiman Bhattacharya

My favourite Ali Fazal role is his most iconic character played to date, and that is Guddu Pandit in Mirzapur. Ali left everyone in awe by playing a role not many would expect him to pull off. The best part about Guddu is his character arc which undergoes a drastic transformation few could have imagined. From an aspiring bodybuilder to a gangster hell-bent on avenging the death of his wife and brother, Guddu has undoubtedly come a long way. Also, with Mirzapur, we have seen him grow as an actor and that journey has also led his fans to fall in love with him.

Roshni Ojha

Ali Fazal impressed us with his rather subdued, reticent, introverted characterisation of Zafar in Fukrey, a struggling musician straining every nerve to gain a foothold in the world of music. Despite being born into a family of butchers by profession, he aspires to be a leading guitarist once he lays his hands on a guitar gifted to him by his father. Zafar’s silence turns out to be more eloquent in the movie and a note of pensive despondency permeates his character.

Ali Fazal excels as a man of few words, hesitant to express his feelings even to his lady love. He falls easy prey to the ‘sone ka sapna’ scheme offered by Choocha (Varun Sharma) and Hunny (Pulkit Sharma) as he needs ready cash for the treatment of his ailing father. He succumbs to the temptation of procuring easy money as devised by Bholi Punjaban, a notorious trickster. The other three also need money to get access to a prestigious college in the city. They are doomed when they lose all their money and are unable to repay Bholi as promised by them. Zafar remains cool even in the most trying circumstances but explodes when his friends agree to comply with Choocha once again. Ali Fazal delivers a top-notch performance as Zafar with his expressive eyes speaking volumes, especially when he chooses to remain silent. This lingering wistfulness makes his character all the more appealing and Ali surely does get into the skin of the character to make his role memorable for all.

Suparna Ghosh

In an age where physical masculinity is the new normal, it takes courage to accept the inherited flaws of this aggressiveness. The world got to know Ali Fazal through his staggering performance in Mirzapur. But the streets will not forget Joy Lobo.

Among the hundreds of characters representing different types of students in 3 Idiots, everyone correlates with Raju and Farhan and idolises to be Phunsukh Wangdu, the erstwhile Rancho. But in reality, we are like Joy Lobo. Joy did not possess the radical mentality of Rancho. He readily accepted the flawed, watertight curriculum for the sake of utility. Yet he experimented with his studies in his way. His death represents the frustrations of life, whether it's in career, relationship, family or finance. The short part played by Fazal, no matter how insignificant it is, showed the brute reality and that's why this role is my favourite.

Arkabrata Bera

My favourite Ali Fazal role is Guddu Pandit from the hit Prime Video series Mirzapur. The brilliant actor portrayed the character of Guddu just fantastically. Ali's stellar performance as Guddu in that blockbuster OTT show not only left me amazed but also compelled me become a Guddu Bhaiya fan. There is no doubt about it that Mirzapur is one of those roles which made Ali popular among audiences.

Sourish Misra