It is Ali Fazal's birthday today. The heartrob has had a small career, with work done in selective films. Making his debut with the English-language film The Other End of the Line, he then appeared in the American television series Bollywood Hero. His Bollywood debut was with the blockbuster 3 Idiots. His role in the film was quite small, but enough to create an impact for his career to follow.

Playing the role of Joy, an engineering student who cannot take up the pressure anymore, Ali personified the anxiety of being a youngster with just the numbness in his eyes.

As he turns 37, here is a list of three of his best performances:

1) Fukrey

Ali Fazal got a major breakthrough with this 2013 comedy film. Essaying the role of Zafar bhai, Ali Fazal was naturally a Delhi guy in this film that told the story of some friends wanting to make it big. Zafar is a struggling musician who needs money to treat his father. Ali handles the lighthearted subject with ease while also bringing some nuance to the role.

With Fukrey, Ali Fazal got some recognition among people and even within the industry.

2) Mirzapur

In Mirzapur, Ali Fazal embodied a role that was miles away from his comfort zone and that got defined over the years. Playing the role of a young college student who descends into becoming a gangster, Ali speaks a lot with his eyes throughout the two seasons. His performance gets even more layered in the second season as he sets off on a journey of vengeance. It is a pleasure to watch him do what he does with so much rigor and menace.

3) Khufiya

One of his best performances comes from the recently released Netflix film Khufiya. Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, Ali plays the role of a traitor working in RAW who slips sensitive information to enemies. His character is not single-dimensional. When he is at home, he is a loving husband and a loving father who gets manipulated by the whims of his own mother.

Caught in the web of violence when his truth comes out, his switch from a simple guy printing some unwanted files from the office to a murderous figure who will do anything to save himself is just extraordinary.

Also read: Richa Chadha And Ali Fazal To Turn Their Wedding Into A Documentary, Name It RiAlity