Fahadh Faasil’s hike – Rs. 65,000 to Rs.10Cr! Producer Reveals
Listin Stephen is a prominent producer in the Malayalam film industry who has delivered several hit films. He produced Chaappa Kurishu, which turned out to be a major breakthrough in Fahadh Faasil’s acting career. Fahadh’s early films, Debut (2002) and Kerala Cafe (2009), did not receive the expected response. After a long gap, Chaappa Kurishu became the film that brought him significant recognition in Malayalam cinema.
Recently, at the South Indian Film Academy event, producer Listin Stephen shared memories about making Chaappa Kurishu and the salary Fahadh received at that time.
Stephen said: “We felt Fahadh Faasil would be perfect for the role, so we narrated the story to him. When he liked the character, I asked him how much remuneration he wanted. Fahadh replied, ‘Pay me whatever you wish. Until now, I have been getting ₹65,000.’
After hearing that, I told him I would pay him ₹1 lakh. That was the first time I paid Fahadh ₹1 lakh as a salary. But today, Fahadh is at the top of the film industry, and even if you offer ₹5 crore or ₹10 crore, getting his dates is difficult. That’s the magic of cinema.”
