LUTON media graduate Aliakbar Campwala is making his international debut as an actor and assistant director in 7 Welcome to London which is released in the UK next month.
The award-winning short film producer said working on the film was ‘a dream come true.’
Ali, 31, of Guildford Street plays a light-hearted character called Goldie in the movie, about young Indian immigrant Jai (Asad Shan) who comes to London and finds love on the Underground.
The Hindi English romantic thriller – made by London-based Iconic Productions – has been acquired by Bollywood Films for exclusive international distribution.
Ali said: “We’re trying to create a British Asian genre by blending the two cultures together.”
He added that landing leading roles both behind and in front of the camera proved tricky: “I love doing comedy but the production side is quite stressful.
“So it was a tough job, like living in two worlds - fantasy and reality.”
Ali spends much of his spare time sharing his skills with the Mitalee Youth Association where he’s a popular member of the volunteer team.