Ali Shazleem

Ali Shazleem
Shazleem at 9th Gaumee Film Awards ceremony, 2019
Occupation(s)	Actor, producer, director
Years active	2014–present

Ali Shazleem is a Maldivian film actor, director and producer.

Shazleem made his film debut in the Aishath Fuad Thaufeeq-directed Hulhudhaan (2014) alongside Mariyam Majudha, which was a critical success.^[1] The film was later screened at the Venice Film Festival.^[2] Though Hulhudhaan was released earlier, Shazleem's first project was Maldivian first anthology film Hatharu Halha which got delayed till 2019.^[3]

In 2015, Shazleem appeared in the Ali Shifau-directed romantic film Emme Fahu Vindha Jehendhen as a company fraud, alongside Mohamed Jumayyil and Mariyam Majudha.^[4] The film which, narrates the struggle and challenges a happily married couple undergo, was the highest grossing Maldivian film of the year, and was a critical success.^[5][6] The following year he starred in another Dark Rain Entertainment production, the Ali Shifau-directed romantic comedy Vaashey Mashaa Ekee (2016) opposite Mohamed Jumayyil and Mariyam Majudha narrating the life of a happily married couple being separated due to the husband's crippling fear of commitment on his wife's pregnancy.^[7][8]

In 2017, Rizwee featured in the Ali Shifau-directed romantic comedy Mee Loaybakee alongside Mohamed Jumayyil and Mariyam Azza.^[9] The film, which is considered to include the largest cast in a Maldivian feature film, narrates the story of two ex-lovers sliding into the friend zone with the envy and diffidence they experience amidst a convoluted love-triangle.^[10] The film and his performance received mainly positive reviews from critics where Aishath Maaha of Avas called his acting to be "good overall".^[10] The film emerged as one of the highest grossing Maldivian films of 2017.^[11]

2018 was a dull year for the Maldivian film-industry with regards to 2018 Maldivian presidential election, hence only one film of Shazleem was released during the year; a suspense thriller film Dhevansoora (2018) written and directed by Yoosuf Shafeeu.^[12] The film marks Shafeeu's thirtieth direction and features an ensemble cast of twenty-one actors.^[13] Revolving around a murder investigation, he played a police officer and the investigation head trying to solve the murder mystery.^[14] The film received positive reviews from critics and was considered a "norm-breaker" for the Maldivian cinema.^[13] Ahmed Hameed Adam, reviewing from VNews, applauded Shazleem's versatility since he was believed to be "stereotyped" as a comedian.^[13] Ismail Nail Rasheed from Raajje.mv wrote: "Though remembered for his comic roles, Shazleem is surprisingly good in the serious role of a policeman".^[15] He next starred in a recurring role in the first Maldivian web-series, a romantic drama by Fathimath Nahula, Huvaa which began streaming in November 2018.^[16] The series, streamed through the digital platform Baiskoafu, centers around a happy and radiant family which breaks into despairing pieces after a tragic incident that led to an unaccountable loss.^[17][18] The series and his performance as a fraud being arrested for murder, were positively received.^[19][20]

Later during the year, the first Maldivian anthology film was released which featured him in the segment directed by Ali Shifau, titled Foshi.^[21] The project was shot in 2013 and digitally released six years later due to several delays in post-production.^[22]