Born and brought up in Rajamundry, Ali says he gave up school to act in films as his father wanted him to become an artiste. He says, “My father was an accomplished tailor and would stitch costumes for classical dancers and circus artistes. I remember people would come from America to get costumes stitched by him. He would work hard in the mornings and would relax in the evenings by going to the circus. It was then he wished that I did something other than the ordinary. I saw Sholay in 1975 and the character Gabbar Singh inspired me to join showbiz. It was a long struggle of 14 years to gain recognition.”

Ali is playing a character interested in gender transformation in the forthcoming film Chiruta. Hasn’t he done this role umpteen times? He says, “I have played a woman in about 35 films so far. As an artiste I have no reservations about the roles I portray, be it a man, woman or a eunuch. There are people who pay money and join films to become famous. Here I’m getting paid for doing all this so why should that bother me? I have moreover observed and studied a woman’s behaviour for a long time - the way they walk, talk and react. Many people can do such roles but they are few who can make us do it properly. I think I suit such roles the best because I am slim and I have dimpled cheeks.”

Ali’s first film was Punaadi Raalu and ever since he had made Hyderabad his home. Tell him that he speaks impeccable Telugu, he gives the credit to his native place. He adds, “Anyone who drinks a glass of water from Godavari can speak fluent Telugu.”

Ali works round the clock. Is he fasting this holy month? He says, “In our home right from an eight year old girl to an old person everyone observes Roza. I don’t because of my shootings. God never asked us to observe fast and pray five times daily during Ramzan. Actually this one month of fasting is a show of gratitude to God for giving this maanava janma. Bakthi is not an outward show, it’s a relation between you and your God.”

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