HBD Fahadh Faasil: Decoding National Award-winning actor's onscreen magic

Fahadh Faasil, who is not an actor of words, turns a year older today. The man has delivered nuanced performances by making the less is more approach effective in mainstream cinema. On his birthday, ETV Bharat's Minal Dodia tries to decode the National Award-winning actor's onscreen magic.

Hyderabad (Telangana): Malayalam actor Fahadh Faasil has garnered a loyal fanbase nationwide courtesy OTT boom. His films like Joji, Malik, Vikram, Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum, Bangalore Days, and Kumbalangi Nights among others have been appreciated by movie buffs and critics alike.

The actor, who floored fans with his performance in Lokesh Kanagaraj's action drama Vikram, is all set to return as IPS officer Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat in Allu Arjun's Pushpa 2. In Vikram, Fahadh managed to make his presence felt in a frame shared by screen icon Kamal Haasan and versatile actor Vijay Sethupathi.

Fahadh Faasil in a still from Pushpa

His film choices are fearless and his filmography is getting interesting with each release. Fahadh is regarded as one of the most accomplished actors of the current generation working in the Indian film industry. Fine actors like Suriya, Ayushmann Kjurrana, Vicky Kaushal, Vijay Varma, and more have time and again heaped praise on FaFa (as he is lovingly called by his fans and industry peers.)

How does Fahadh manage to create magic on screen? His deep The answer is, that he never worries about the reactions his films might receive. For Fahadh, the process is more exciting than the outcome of any of his works. The actor in an earlier interview had said that his constant fight is to do justice to what he initially conceived.

Fahadh Faasil in a still from Kumbalangi Nights

Even after the release of his films, Fahadh thinks that there was room for improvement. For him, the process is never complete, and he is in love with the process that is -- keep exploring. The one aspect of his job as an actor he likes the most is dealing with human emotions. As an actor, FaFa aims to understand people better.

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The quality that he looks for in a script is that it should be "as real as looking out of the window." The actor had earlier said that he needs to connect and believe that what he is reading had actually happened somewhere so that he can approach it with utmost honesty.

People have liked his work in films irrespective of the length of his roles. For that to happen, the 40-year-old actor invests in the narrative of a film, and not an individual character. Last year, Fahadh in an interview said that he needs to be excited by the narrative and it doesn't matter how long or short the screen timing of the character is.

His approach seemingly stems from the idea of striking a connection with the audience. So far, Fahadh has breathed life into the characters that are author-backed and pitched beautifully to the audience.

Fahadh Faasil in a still from Vikram

The actor was launched by his filmmaker father at the age of 19 with the romantic drama Kaiyethum Doorath (2002). He had a bumpy start as the film tanked following which he went to the US to study engineering. After seven years he returned with a better understanding of the craft and since then there are more hits than misses in his career.

Last month, Fahadh lit up the screens with his performance in the survival thriller Malayankunju, produced by his father Fazil, and directed by Sajimon. The actor has Tamil film Maamannan and Malayalam film Paachuvum Albhuthavilakkum coming up next.