One of the standout talents of the pandemic was definitely actor Fahadh Faasil. When everyone stayed home, and kept on watching new content, it was Fahadh who seemed to be the mainstay of the OTT space. Newer audience opened up to the acting talents of the National Award winner, and we saw him being part of important projects in Tamil (Vikram), and Telugu (Pushpa). Now, in the span of a week, he is set to make a mark in Kannada, and Malayalam with Dhoomam, and Tamil with Maamannan.
While Dhoomam, Pawan Kumar’s latest, hit the screens last Friday, Maamannan is set to be released worldwide this Thursday. Dhoomam was a project that was many years in the making, and was pitched to multiple actors before being mounted on the able shoulders of Fahadh. Talking about how Dhoomam came his way, the actor says, “Well, every creative endeavour carries a certain level of risk, and with Pawan, the chances are quite high. I enjoy such a gamble. Films like Lucia and U-Turn are not those projecs that can be decided over a single meeting. The same goes for Dhoomam, and I appreciate Pawan’s process, which is primarily why I wanted to associate with it. The film addresses a sensitive and relevant issue in society. Some actors might choose to avoid it, but now is the time to tell stories like this.”
With the time ripe for the blurring of linguistic boundaries, Fahadh is confident of riding the tide and reaching newer shores. His latest collaborations — Maamannan and Dhoomam — are helmed by rooted filmmakers like Mari Selvaraj and Pawan Kumar. “Initially, Dhoomam came to me as a Kannada film, and the production house, Hombale Films, approached me with the intention of making a Kannada film. However, I wasn’t ready for it. Actually, I thought that with Pawan’s films, geography is not an issue. Even Lucia and U-Turn could be set in Kerala. So, I spoke to Pawan, and we switched to Malayalam. Later, Hombale Films wanted a Kannada version, and we went ahead with that too.”
One of the criticisms levied against Dhoomam was that it didn’t really look like a typical Malayalam film. Was it a deliberate choice to make it appealing to the Kannada audience as well? “If you ask me, Dhoomam does not have the look of a Kannada film as well. But all that doesn’t matter. I believe I am in the best time of cinema, where there is a cross-exchange happening in terms of cast, and the way audiences are accepting this diversity. If not now, I don’t think I can explore such subjects later. There are a lot of changes and explorations happening now, and I consider it a positive development.”
While Maamannan is being heavily promoted by the principal cast and crew, Fahadh’s absence has been a talking factor. In the case of Dhoomam, the lack of promotions for the film itself has been a serious problem. Explaining his reason for maintaining a rather elusive persona, Fahadh says, “If a film doesn’t speak for itself, there is no point in me doing the job. I work like a dog. I don’t have to go around asking people to watch the film. If it’s good, let them watch it. If they don’t find it entertaining or if it’s bad, let them not watch it, and we will work on making something better. I believe in the film doing all the talking.”
But does the pressure of having back-to-back releases impact him in any way? “No, I don’t take much pressure at all. I enjoy doing films for myself. The success of a film is not in my hands; there are many factors involved. So, I simply enjoy being part of the process and don’t worry about it,” says Fahadh, who is not new to experimentation at all, and is completely unconcerned about the concept of market value. “Producers approach actors with trust, excitement, and madness. With Hombale Films, we didn’t have any prior discussions. We decided on the film and collaborated. In fact, I find it difficult to convince people to do a film. When we couldn’t find a producer for films like Kumbalangi Nights, we produced it ourselves. Even though Dhoomam is my 56th film, I have never had any issues with the producer once they come on board.”
With such a stellar filmography, Fahadh’s script choices are lauded for its uniqueness, and completely staying away from repetition. However, Fahadh chuckles, and says, “There is a lot of repetition. I only know eight expressions. For me, collaboration is crucial. I believe the director makes all the difference in how I perform. I am completely a director’s actor, standing by their side throughout the filmmaking process. Of course, there are arguments before and after shooting, but while the process is happening, I am completely with them.”
Filmmakers like Dileesh Pothan, Mahesh Narayanan, Lokesh Kanagaraj and Mari Selvaraj too vouch for his acting talents and evince interest in casting him in more of their works. Such collaborations are making Fahadh an important name across India, and he is part of some of the biggest franchises in the country. Signing off by addressing the pan-Indian phenomenon, and his place in that universe, Fahadh says, “There is a market that I can’t ignore. When there is a demand, there must be supply. So, I leave that decision to my producers. Basically, I endorse the original film. We all came together to create that one project, and I put my all into it. Even if people watch the dubbed version, I believe they will eventually come back to watch the original.”