The boy from Bhopal has finally found a foothold in tinseltown. After four years on the ramp, Shawar Ali is turning actor with Asambhav. Ali who has worked in UK with renowned fashion house Calvin Klein (his was their in-house model for three months in 2002) shifted to Mumbai in 2000.
Says the winner of the Best Physique category in Mr. India '98, "I've just returned after shooting with Rajeev Rai for Asambhav. The cast includes Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra. My character has negative shades and I didn't have any qualms about starting my celluloid journey by playing the villain."
Rai found Ali ideal to play the character of Mabrose, an Italian mafia don. "We shot in Lucarno, Switzerland and the film releases on January 9, 2004. I shifted gear and decided to get into films as modelling has a shelf life but films are forever," says Ali.
What Ali counts as his plus point is his middle class upbringing (his father is a farmer back in Bhopal) and the fluent Hindi that will help him carve a niche in Bollywood. "Plus, my face is different with an international appeal and I'm willing to learn the ropes."
Staying fit by working out four days a week, with a focus on cardiovascular exercises, Ali also controls his diet with a light dinner, lots of vegetables and strict NO to greasy food.
After walking the ramp at LIFW, at Mumbai's National Centre for Performing Arts, Ali is looking forward to give finishing touches to Asambhav. Then he enacts a hero in Rai's yet untitled venture with Akshay Khanna who essays a stylish villain. "I won't say goodbye to the ramp so soon, as it has been my passion for long. It has given me money and glamour. It's the fastest way to get noticed," says Ali.
Staying fit by working out four days a week, with a focus on cardiovascular exercises, Ali also controls his diet with a light dinner, lots of vegetables and strict NO to greasy food.
After walking the ramp at LIFW, at Mumbai's National Centre for Performing Arts, Ali is looking forward to give finishing touches to Asambhav. Then he enacts a hero in Rai's yet untitled venture with Akshay Khanna who essays a stylish villain. "I won't say goodbye to the ramp so soon, as it has been my passion for long. It has given me money and glamour. It's the fastest way to get noticed," says Ali.