The talented Fahadh Faasil is often referred to as the poster boy of Malayalam cinema in a pan-Indian context, especially in the post-2010s era when the characters he chose to play really reflected his range. But FaFa (as he is lovingly called, especially up north where he has a lot of fans) did not bloom as an actor from the get-go. Thankfully, he’s grabbing all the limelight with Aavesham’s spectacular performance at the worldwide box office.
Malayalis will remember the lanky, “chocolate boy” from his debut movie, Kaiyethum Doorath, which was directed by his father, Fazil. The movie did not do well at the box office and FaFa was not able to create a lasting impression. Seven years later, in 2009, he came back to the big screen and played a memorable character in the anthology film, Kerala Cafe (2009). After that, he turned heads by playing Arjun in the thriller film, Chaappa Kurishu (2011).
After that, it has been an uphill ride for Fahadh Faasil, who is known “to act with his eyes.” Fahadh won his first Kerala State Film Award, the Best Supporting Actor Award for his performance in Chaappa Kurishu and his performance in Akam. He also went on to achieve critical acclaim for his roles as Cyril in 22 Female Kottayam (2012) and Dr Arun Kumar in Diamond Necklace (2012).
Fast-forward to today, in 2024, he is a star of Malayalam cinema. In a land dominated by Ikka and Ettan fans, he has become a trailblazer in new-gen movies that explore a myriad of topics that were not explored before, even wearing the cap of a producer to push this new scene.
Let’s take a look at how his last 5 movies have performed at the worldwide box office:
Aavesham (2024) – Despite its OTT release, the movie continues to set the theatres on fire. In India, Aavesham has now accumulated net earnings of 84.10 crores in India, with gross earnings reaching 99.23 crores. It has achieved considerable success internationally, amassing a total of 55 crores. Consequently, Aavesham’s global box office revenue now stands at an impressive 154.23 crores gross. The highlights include a bombastic performance by Fafa, a solid story, and great direction by Jithu Madhavan.
Maamannan (2023) – Fahadh Faasil played the main antagonist Rathinavel in this anti-caste drama. He was lauded for his strong performance, which is said to have overshadowed the hero, Udhayanidhi Stalin’s performance. Made on a budget of only 30 crores, the film went on to make 52.12 crores net earnings in India. Including overseas gross collection of 12.8 crores, the film earned 73.80 crores gross at the worldwide box office.
Dhoomam (2023) – We have a disaster on the list y’all! Though the action thriller, Dhoomam, helmed by FaFa and Aparna Balamurali got decent reviews from critics, they weren’t enough to pull audiences to theatres. Dhoomam tells the story of a marketing head who pitches an idea for an anti-smoking awareness advertisement that indirectly encourages people to smoke. Later, he and his wife are held hostage and forced to perform dangerous tasks. The film had an India net collection of 3.40 crores. Its worldwide collection stood at 6 crores gross, with an overseas collection of 2 crores.
Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum (2023) – The film was released in April 2023 and it received a critical positive response from critics and audiences. It was written and directed by Akhil Sathyan, son of well-known Malayalam director Sathyan Anthikkad. Fahadh Faasil played the ordinary-guy-from-the-small-town-in-the-big-city role perfectly and his comic timing was great as well. It earned 17.20 crores gross globally.
Malayankunju (2022) – A survival thriller that was given a different treatment, many were eagerly looking forward to Malayankunju much ahead of its release date. The trailer had been very promising as well which pictured FaFa in a role he hasn’t done before. And the movie did not disappoint. It received rave reviews from critics and audiences, with many calling it another feather in Fahadh’s cap. Made on a budget of 6.50 crores, it earned over 12 crores gross at the worldwide box office.
On the work front, Fahadh Faasil is gearing up for the release of Pushpa 2: The Rule, where he will reprise his role as the villainous Bhanwar Singh, and will also be seen in Rajnikanth’s Vettaiyan.
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