Ali made his debut as an engineering student in the 2009 blockbuster "3 Idiots" and then appeared as a teenager in final year of school in "Always Kabhi Kabhi", followed by his character of a struggling musician in "Fukrey".
He will be now seen as a street-smart but nice guy named Guddu in "Happy Bhag Jayegi". The film is helmed by Mudassar Aziz, who last directed Sushmita Sen-starrer "Dulha Mil Gaya" in 2010.
"Mudassar and I had to build the character from scratch. It's a beautifully written role but it requires that much input from the actor and director. That's why we were so scared in the start," he said.
The romantic-comedy stars Abhay Deol, Diana Penty, Jimmy Shergill and Piyush Mishra.
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The 29-year-old actor says the most important thing in the film was having a good chemistry with all the actors.
Though it is a multi-starrer, the "Khamoshiyan" actor decries artists who get insecure of their co-stars while working in a film.
"Actors are dumb when they get insecure of their co-stars. A lot of actors do. When there is a good actor they're like, 'oh he's eating up the part'. That's stupid.
"They should give more because what we don't realise is, if the other actor is good, he is making you shine automatically. You don't have to do much, half the job is done," he added.