'I lack confidence to play larger-than-life characters like Fahadh Faasil in Aavesham', reveals Rekhachithram’s Asif Ali

His latest film Rekhachithram has turned out to be another blockbuster and he is receiving more accolades and appreciation than ever before. Malayalam actor Asif Ali is over the moon and acknowledges that while he is happy playing the cop in a crime thriller, there are still some roles he is eagerly waiting for.

In a tete-a-tete with Hindustan Times, Asif Ali said that people approached him frequently for crime thrillers because they find him relatable in roles like CI Vivek Gopinath in Rekachithram.

While he can’t stop smiling at Rekhachithram’s (streaming on Sony LIV) success, the actor said the role was challenging because Rekha and him don’t appear in a single frame together but he had to remain emotionally connected with her character.

A police officer of another kind

“I had this inferiority complex playing these police officers. The police officers I’ve seen on screen are all stylised cops with bulky muscles so I had this inferiority complex about playing them. I am just 5 feet 7 inches and have a small build. But the police officers I’ve seen in real life are all normal looking people like me. I wanted to play a normal cop on screen and I somehow cracked it. That’s how I selected Rekhachithram and Thalavan,” said Asif Ali, adding that failure is something he struggles with. “I can’t control my emotions when my film fails. I’ll be lost and I struggle very badly to overcome it. 2022 and 2023 were really bad.

Interestingly, the 2018 actor spoke about wanting to play larger-than-life characters which have eluded him so far. “I need more confidence to play larger-than-life characters like Yash in KGF. I was telling Fahadh (Faasil) also that I loved Aavesham and how he pulled off the character of Ranga. You know, I can’t do that. I need more confidence to do that kind of character. But I’m slowly getting there. I want to crack that,” smiled Ali.

'Tiki Taka will be my KGF'

The Level Cross star has a film called Tiki Taka, also featuring Wamiqa Gabbi and Naslen, which he believes will help break into those larger-than-life roles. He stated, “I had wanted to do a film like KGF and director VS Rohith’s Tiki Taka will be my KGF. I am halfway through this film where I play a larger-than-life role. It’s a mass masala commercial action film. I worked out as part of my homework for this role - I gained almost 10 kgs and had a total makeover including a six-pack. But on the third day of shooting, I had a bad accident and I was bedridden for three months. It was a very bad time for me.”

He is one of the Malayalam actors who demands a bound script from directors before he takes on a film. “I need complete clarity about what I’m doing in the film. In the early days, it was tough to ask a senior director for a bound script. That was not a very respectful thing in the industry but now it has changed. When you work with younger directors, it’s working with our classmates or friends. The kind of freedom we get when we work with our age group is different. I get my space; I can argue with them; they can demand from me. The bond we share helps me a lot,” elaborated Ali about his working style. As for 2025, it’s a busy year for the Malayalam actor who'll be seen in Tiki Taka as well as director Jeethu Joseph’s Mirage and Thamar KV’s Sarkeet.