Not everyone from outside the industry has been able to make it big in the industry. And it’s not just about the actors, it’s also true about the moviemakers, directors, and other people. However, amidst this chaos, a Dehradun boy Ali Abbas Zafar has been able to make his mark as a movie maker. He is the youngest filmmaker to have two of his films Tiger Zinda Hai and Sultan cross 300 crores mark. While he has been professionally very proficient, his personal journey has also been great. Ali Abbas Zafar bonded very well with many stars and one of them is the superstar Katrina Kaif.
While recounting his journey, Ali wrote, “My journey from being an assistant director to director has been very exciting and I must say, little filmy. I was an assistant director in YRF on Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Badmaash Company, New York, Tashan and then while I was assisting, I was writing films parallelly. So, after I finished Badmaash Company, I gave a script to Adi.” He adds, “One day, I was driving to Goa with some friends and he called me and said I read your script and I think it’s pretty good. It just needs some minor fixing and we are good to go. I would say it’s been miraculous, it’s been fascinating and to be a complete outsider in this industry, to get a chance to direct for YRF and to work with Katrina, Imran and Adi has been a blessing.”
During the shoot of Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Ali made a friend for a lifetime in Katrina Kaif. He says, “Katrina and me are like chalk and cheese! Definitely best of friends but we have our disagreements too. That is what keeps our relationship real and relevant. You just need to be true to yourself and especially when you find close friends, you need to be honest to them. I’ve always tried to do the best I could do with her and she supported me in every possible way she could.”
Ali adds, “When she said yes to Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, the role on paper was very strong but you know I was a complete newcomer and she was riding super high on her success. For her to be generous enough, to choose me over other filmmakers who were offering her scripts at that point of time, was a very brave decision. Since then, till now we’ve been more of personal friends than professional friends. So yes, thank you Katrina for always being there for me and it’s been great to have you in my life!”
