Renowned Malayalam actor Fahadh Faasil recently opened up about a defining cinematic memory from his childhood — watching Superstar Rajinikanth’s Baashha on the big screen. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, the Maheshinte Prathikaaram star recounted how he skipped school during his 9th or 10th grade in Ooty just to catch the film in theatres.
Released in 1995, Baashha, directed by Suresh Krissna, is widely regarded as one of Rajinikanth’s most iconic films. The gangster drama tells the story of Manickam, a mild-mannered auto driver who hides a dangerous past. Its gripping screenplay, dramatic transformation scenes, and Rajinikanth’s towering performance helped it become a landmark moment in Tamil cinema.
For Fahadh, Baashha was not just another film. It was his very first theatrical experience watching Tamil cinema — and one that left a lasting emotional impact.
“We bunked school one evening and saw Baashha. It was the first Tamil film I saw in a full house,” Fahadh recalled. “It’s the first time I saw a superstar being so honest on screen.”
The scene that particularly struck the young Fahadh was the now-legendary college admission sequence, where Rajinikanth’s character, in a composed yet powerful tone, tells the college principal:
“Ayya, en peru Manickam. Enakku innoru peru irukku (Sir, my name is Manickam. I have another name).”
After the emotional exchange, his sister asks what he told them. Rajinikanth’s simple reply — “Unmaya sonnen (I told the truth)” — gave Fahadh a cinematic high.
“The construction of that scene, the communication, the honesty — it blew me away,” he said. “There was a sense of direct communication with the audience. That point was a big high for me.”
Although Fahadh hails from a filmmaking family — his father Fazil directed Tamil classics like Varusham Padhinaaru and Kadhalukku Mariyadhai — it was Baashha that gave him his first taste of Tamil cinema’s mass appeal. His admiration for the genre and the emotion it evokes is evident in the way he speaks about that first viewing.
Now one of India’s most respected actors, known for his nuanced performances in films like Joji, Kumbalangi Nights, and Vikram, Fahadh continues to bridge the gap between regional industries with his upcoming Tamil film Maareesan. A comedy-thriller directed by Sudheesh Sankar and produced by Super Good Films, the movie pairs Fahadh with legendary comedian Vadivelu. Set for release on July 25, the film features Fahadh as a conman and Vadivelu as an elderly man battling Alzheimer’s.
As Maareesan readies to hit screens, Fahadh’s candid recollection of Baashha is not just a nostalgic nod to a cinematic classic, but also a celebration of the emotional journeys that define movie lovers across generations.
