Enfant terrible is a term that has often been mentioned when his name comes up but there is no doubt about Asif Ali’s acting prowess. The actor has seen a steady growth both personally and professionally in the eight years he has been in the industry and is now turning over a new leaf. He asserts that his genetic disorder of not attending phone calls will be a thing of the past now that he has donned the more responsible job of starting his own production house.
The role of an NDA cadet in his recent release Nirnayakam was something Asif instantly took on because of director V.K. Prakash and the scriptwriters Sanjay and Bobby. He says, “I liked the socially relevant subject which was the focus of the movie because I believe I am a socially committed individual who reacts to social issues. I want my audiences to say that each new release of mine has been better than my last one.” Asif did a ten meter high dive from a diving board into a swimming pool which was very risky and he admits that he was very nervous. Asked if he had informed his wife Zama before the dive, Asif confesses, “No, I did not. But after the dive, I sent her the video and she totally flipped reminding me that I had a wife and a kid now!”
Talking about his production venture Asif mentions that his inspiration to start a production house, Adam’s World of Imagination, came from top Tamil actors and directors who make provisions to encourage new talent through their own production houses. He mentions, “I felt that Mollywood too could use a production platform to allow filmmakers to sound out their story.” Kohinoor is the first film to be made under this banner and Asif mentions that the film is set in the 80s era and will be a heist film recreating Delhi of that era. IDI, The Adventures of Omanakuttan, Driver on Duty and Double Barrel are his upcoming films that are from different genres and are as different as chalk and cheese. Asif states,
“After Ritu, I had been constantly getting chocolate boy or college lover boy roles which could be because of my looks but I don’t fancy getting locked in a particular image. I came to films because of an overwhelming passion to act and I want to exploit my acting potential to the maximum by doing versatile roles.” Asif also adds that he is not rigid about doing only lead roles but is open to cameo or guest roles that give him space.
It has been eight years since Asif debuted in Malayalam though time has flown by. Asif says, “I still feel nervous and tense when I join a film and have the same excitement when I listen to a new script. I still have the same thrill for cinema as I had when I joined!” Asif has gone through his highs and lows and introspects, “I came into films at a very immature age. In my college days, I could be termed as a spoilt kid who lived life to the fullest. It was my desire to do films and I have enjoyed my successes but also cried over my failures! Overcoming a failure takes a lot of time and even a negative comment on my social site upsets or angers me. Looking back, I feel I have reacted to situations in an immature way. Even my very well known habit of not picking up calls worked against me when I realised very late that many successful directors and producers had wanted to cast me in some hit films. I do not want to miss out on any more films or opportunities again.”
Marriage to Zama and the birth of his son Adam has changed Asif and he reveals, “Yes, marriage has transformed me! Before marriage a week without acting would make me tense and so I would sign a lot of films randomly. After Adam was born, I feel very homesick when I am away and I feel I have to come home to my family which makes me balance my home life and my career.”
