Malayalam actor Fahadh Faasil has recalled an interesting encounter with Tamil superstar-turned-politician Vijay from his teenage years. According to Fahadh, Vijay was the first person to ask him whether he would eventually become an actor.
Fahadh shared the memory during a recent interview with Behindwoods TV, where he appeared in conversation with veteran filmmaker KS Ravikumar. He also spoke about his early association with Vijay, his brief break from cinema and his upcoming projects.
Fahadh Faasil Remembers Meeting Vijay at 15
Fahadh recalled meeting Vijay when he was just 15 years old on the sets of Kadhalukku Mariyadhai, the 1997 Tamil romantic drama directed by his father, filmmaker Fazil. The film was also shot at the Faasil family home.
Remembering the interaction, Fahadh said Vijay was the first person to ask him whether he would become an actor. At the time, their conversations mainly centred around films.
Fahadh also remembered Vijay discussing his upcoming project Kushi, which was released in 2000 under the direction of SJ Suryah. Around the same period, Fahadh was associated with his father’s film Kannukkul Nilavu, also released in 2000.
The actor admitted that he could not have imagined at the time that Vijay would eventually enter politics and go on to become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, a position he assumed on May 10, 2026.
Fahadh Faasil on His Early Career Setback
Fahadh also reflected on the difficult phase that followed the release of his 2002 debut film Kaiyethum Doorath, which was directed by his father.
Following the film’s box-office failure, Fahadh took a break from the industry and moved to the United States for higher studies. He went on to earn a Master’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Miami.
His time away from cinema eventually influenced the way he approached acting and contributed to the distinctive style associated with his performances.
Fahadh Faasil’s Upcoming Film
On the work front, Fahadh is preparing for the release of Don’t Trouble The Trouble, a trilingual fantasy comedy scheduled to arrive in theatres on October 2, 2026.
Directed by Shashank Yeleti and presented by SS Rajamouli, the film features Fahadh as Suri, a street magician whose life changes after meeting a young girl, played by Ssara Palekar, who possesses genuine supernatural abilities.
The film also stars Saurabh Sachdeva and is produced by SS Karthikeya, Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni under Showing Business and Arka Media Works. Its trailer features voiceovers by Nandamuri Balakrishna in Telugu, Mohanlal in Malayalam and Kamal Haasan in Tamil.
The project marks Fahadh’s first straight Telugu film as a solo lead, and he has dubbed his own lines for the movie.
Fahadh’s Acclaimed Role in Pushpa 2
Fahadh was widely praised for his performance as antagonist Bhanwar Singh Shekawat in Pushpa 2: The Rule, which released on December 5, 2024.
Directed by Sukumar and starring Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna, the film went on to achieve major box-office success, with worldwide collections reported between INR 1,642 crore and INR 1,800 crore.