Ali Fazal On Karan Johar's Praise For Raakh: 'I'm A Huge Fan And Haven't Been Shy About It' | Exclusive

Ali Fazal’s latest series Raakh has been receiving praise from audiences and critics alike, and one of its biggest cheerleaders is filmmaker Karan Johar. The director-producer recently took to Instagram to laud the crime thriller, calling it “devastating” and “brilliant” at the same time. He also praised Ali Fazal’s performance, describing the actor as “exceptional” in the gripping series. Ali plays Sub-Inspector Jayprakash, a cop drawn into a dark investigation, in the show.

Reacting to Karan Johar’s praise, Ali Fazal expressed his gratitude during an exclusive conversation with News18 Showsha. The actor admitted that the appreciation meant a lot to him, especially because he has long been a fan of Karan’s work. “It was very, very generous and

kind of Karan to post the message. I think we were all very excited about him going out of his way and posting. It’s so generous and nice, and I’m glad he liked it,” Ali said.

The Mirzapur actor also reveal that he has always been a huge fan of the filmmaker and values his opinion. “I’m a huge fan of his and I have not been very shy about it. I’ve told him many a time! He’s one of the few people who — and not many people know this — championed our film Girls Will Be Girls in ways I will always be thankful to him. So, I really respect his opinion and his choices,” he added.

Speaking of the emotional investment in a show like Raakh, Ali said that he tries not to let it affect him personally. “The whole period when we are prepping for it and trying to understand the characters, was a very confusing time. But now when watched it, it obviously had a different effect on me. I guess, I understand why it’s connecting with everybody — it’s because it’s deeply disturbing,” the actor explained.

Raakh, which is inspired by the infamous Ranga-Billa case, follows a chilling investigation that uncovers the dark realities behind a brutal crime. The series stars Sonali Bendre and Ali Fazal in a pivotal roles and has been praised for its gripping narrative, emotional depth and haunting portrayal of a tragedy that shook the nation.

The actor has a packed slate ahead. He will next be seen reprising his fan-favourite role of Guddu Pandit in Mirzapur: The Movie, which is slated for a theatrical release in 2026. Apart from that, he also has Batwara 1947 in the pipeline.