Acting with Judi Dench a milestone for me : Ali Fazal

Ali Fazal says it was a surreal experience to work in the upcoming British-American film Victoria & Abdul with Oscar-winning actress Judi Dench. Ali, who’s appeared in cameos in 3 Idiots and Furious 7, feels that getting Victoria & Abdul was a sweet coincidence. “It was a surreal moment for me to bag this role, and to know that I got selected for the film over some of my peers who were in consideration, especially those whom I look up to and whose work I admire, is heartening,” Ali says. “Shooting for this film is a milestone in the short career I have had so far. Working with Judi, Stephen Frears, Micheal Gambon, Eddie and such an amazing team was more than what I could have asked for.” Born in Lucknow, Ali has starred in Bollywood films like 3 Idiots, Fukrey and Happy Bhag Jayegi. He made his screen debut with a small role in the 2008 English language film The Other End of the Line. Helmed by Frears, Victoria & Abdul is based on a novel by Shrabani Basu, and revolves around the relationship shared by Queen Victoria (Dench) and Abdul (Ali), who was a munshi (secretary) in her government. It also shows how he became one of the most powerful figures in the court. Produced by BBC Films and Focus Features, the film is releasing in September, and its trailer was unveiled on Tuesday