logo
Fahadh Faasil Uses A 17-Year-Old Unsmart Phone Worth Rs 10 Lakh. Why Does It Cost So Much?

Fahadh Faasil Uses A 17-Year-Old Unsmart Phone Worth Rs 10 Lakh. Why Does It Cost So Much?

NDTV17-07-2025
Malayalam cinema star Fahadh Faasil is popular for leading a low-key life. Despite having a massive fan following across the country, the Aavesham star is conspicuous in his absence from social media. Interestingly, the actor also doesn't own a smartphone.
Recently, Fahadh Faasil grabbed attention for his unique keypad phone.
On Wednesday (July 16), Fahadh Faasil attended a puja ceremony for his upcoming film Mollywood Times. In a video that went viral on social media (how ironic), the 42-year-old actor was seen using a keypad phone.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Effin M (@chronograph_2022)
The phone, although simple in design, is far from ordinary.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, the model used by Fahadh Faasil was manufactured by the UK-based handcrafted luxury mobile phone company Vertu. The device was an Ascent Retro Classic Keypad Phone, which comes with a price tag of USD 11,920 (a little over Rs 10 lakh).
According to Vertu's official website, the model is out of stock and no longer in production. Reports state this model was launched back in 2008. The premium construction is one of its standout elements.
The phone features a titanium build, adorned with sapphire crystals and hand-stitched leather. Despite the retro aesthetic, this Vertu number comes with modern facilities such as Bluetooth, GPRS and SMS and MMS support. Additionally, the phone has a dedicated side button for 24/7 concierge access in over 170 countries. Weighing around 173 g and roughly 22 mm thick, this handset comprises a patented bevelled stainless-steel keypad.
Last month, Malayalam actor Vinay Forrt spoke about Fahadh Faasil's simple lifestyle. The actor, in a conversation with Club FM, revealed that the Joji actor "avoids smartphones and social media entirely, and prefers using a basic keypad phone".
Although Vinay Forrt did not mention the phone brand, Fahadh Faasil's latest appearance with the keypad device now offers a possible answer.
Back in 2023, Fahadh Faasil opened up about the decision not to promote his films through social media. The actor, in an interview with Pinkvilla, shared, "I never had a social media account. I was on Facebook in my college days and that's all. I prefer to connect with people on a personal basis rather than on social media. I have always been like this, and I don't want to change."
On the film front, Fahadh Faasil has a few films lined up apart from Mollywood Times. They include Maareesan, Odum Kuthira Chadum Kuthira, Karate Chandran and Patriot.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Hari Hara Veera Mallu box office collection Day 1: Pawan Kalyan-starrer earns Rs 44.2 crore despite mediocre reactions, falls short of Ram Charan's Game Changer
Hari Hara Veera Mallu box office collection Day 1: Pawan Kalyan-starrer earns Rs 44.2 crore despite mediocre reactions, falls short of Ram Charan's Game Changer

Indian Express

time22 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

Hari Hara Veera Mallu box office collection Day 1: Pawan Kalyan-starrer earns Rs 44.2 crore despite mediocre reactions, falls short of Ram Charan's Game Changer

Hari Hara Veera Mallu box office collection Day 1: After many delays, the Pawan Kalyan-starrer Hari Hara Veera Mallu was released in the theatres on Thursday. While the audience's reactions to the film haven't been positive, it has had a strong opening at the box office. The film earned Rs 12.7 crore via previews on Wednesday, and on the release day, it earned Rs 31.5 crore, taking the nett domestic opening figure to Rs 44.2 crore, as per industry tracker Sacnilk. Pawan Kalyan's film hasn't received promising reviews but on the first day, it witnessed approximately 57 percent occupancy in Telugu-speaking regions. In Hyderabad, the film had around 1000 shows with almost 66 percent occupancy. Bengaluru saw around 560 shows with approximately 38 percent occupancy and in Visakhapatnam, there were around 364 shows with approximately 63 percent occupancy. It also released in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada but had very few shows in these languages. While the opening numbers sound quite promising, Pawan Kalyan's last three films had similar figures on their respective opening days but all of them crashed shortly afterwards. His 2023 film Bro opened at Rs 30 crore but could only make Rs 83 crore at the domestic box office. His 2022 release Bheemla Nayak opened at Rs 37.15 crore and finished its theatrical run at Rs 112 crore. And his 2021 release, Vakeel Saab, opened at Rs 40 crore but managed to make Rs 109 crore in the domestic market. With the mediocre reviews that Hari Hara Veera Mallu has received, it looks like the film's collections might experience a dip sooner than expected. ALSO READ | Ronth: Bleak Malayalam gem burns Bollywood at the stake with its harrowing and haunting final 20 minutes The Telugu film industry hasn't had a massive hit in 2025. Shankar's Game Changer, starring Ram Charan, could only manage to make Rs 131.17 crore at the box office, which was quite disappointing given its massive budget of over Rs 400 crore. The film opened at Rs 51 crore, and had a huge nationwide release. Sankranthiki Vasthunam, starring Venkatesh, did significantly well as it earned Rs 186.7 crore. Telugu cinema had its biggest success with Allu Arjun-starrer Pushpa 2 in 2024. The film opened at Rs 174.9 crore, and made Rs 1234.1 crore during its theatrical run. While it made Rs 341.48 crore in Telugu, the film created history at the Hindi box office as well, eaening over Rs 800 crore.

9th edition of Bengaluru Poetry Festival to be held in the city
9th edition of Bengaluru Poetry Festival to be held in the city

The Hindu

time22 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

9th edition of Bengaluru Poetry Festival to be held in the city

Subodh Sankar still remembers the first time he heard the Odia poet Bishnu Mohapatra read his work at Atta Galatta, a decade or so ago. 'He read in Odia, and it gave me goosebumps…without understanding a word of what he read,' says the co-founder of Atta Galatta. 'That is the power of poetry,' believes Subodh, who, with a core team of poets and poetry lovers, conceptualised the Bengaluru Poetry Festival as a celebration of all things poetry, back in 2016. Bishnu, 'a very, very senior poet,' will be one of the many speakers who will be part of the 9th Edition of the Bengaluru Poetry Festival, which will be held in the city on August 2 and 3. Some of the others include Ramya Nambessan, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Sandhya Mridul, Justh, Jeet Thayil, Madhan Karky, Danish Husain and Bilal Moin. 'There are plenty of big names that we are looking forward to at the festival,' says Subodh, adding that the festival ends with a performance by Parvathy Baul. Also, as always, the festival will showcase poets in multiple languages, including Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Urdu, Bangla, and Mizo. 'We are very proud of the fact that we have been able to bring poetry in so many different languages to the city.' This year, for the first time, the festival will be held at the Indiranagar Sangeetha Sabha, 'a standard performance venue with a beautiful outdoor area', instead of a hotel. 'In that sense, the festival has significantly reduced its footprint and gone back to nature, something we are proud of,' says Subodh. Another major change in this edition, he adds, is the inclusion of many more poets from outside the country.' These include Sri Lankan poet Shirani Rajapakse, American writer and poet Claudia Keelan, Singaporean poet and translator Daryl Lim Wie Jie and Emirati poets Ali AlMaazmi and Amal Al Sahlawi, 'both of whom will be reading in Arabic.' The festival is instituting a fellowship for young, unpublished poets aged 18-24, to be announced on August 3, titled the Utkarsh Poetry Fellowship, in association with Dr Neena Verma, a medical doctor from Delhi. The fellowship, another first for the festival, is named after Neena's son, a poet himself who passed away at a young age, got kick-started about a month and a half ago, when an announcement for the fellowship was made, explains Subodh. 'We've had an overwhelming response, with a couple of hundred people responding, and now it is going through the jury process.' This edition will feature approximately 86 speakers, including the facilitators of the children's festival, which will take place in parallel with the main festival, a crucial aspect of the programming. 'For the last four years, we have had a children's festival happening alongside the poetry festival,' says Subodh, who believes that it is a great way to introduce children to the world of books. 'Children who read, turn into adults who read and adults who read turn into writers,' he says. 'So we take any opportunity we can to bring children to a literary atmosphere.' The 9th edition of the Bengaluru Poetry Festival will be held on August 2 and 3 at the Indiranagar Sangeetha Sabha. Entry is free and all are welcome.

Flashback Fun: When Kajol asked fans, 'Married or ditched more?' in this throwback post
Flashback Fun: When Kajol asked fans, 'Married or ditched more?' in this throwback post

Time of India

time35 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Flashback Fun: When Kajol asked fans, 'Married or ditched more?' in this throwback post

Kajol brought back the charm of the late '90s with a delightful throwback post from 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', a film that continues to hold a special place in the hearts of Bollywood lovers. Earlier this year in January, she took to Instagram and posted a still from the song Saajanji Ghar Aaye, dressed as the bride Anjali. But it wasn't just the photo that caught attention—it was her playful caption that sparked curiosity. 'Is it bridal season still? Hey I got married on screen quite a few times and ditched as well! Which did I do more of??' she wrote, leaving fans to debate whether her characters tied the knot more often or left their love interests hanging. Reliving Anjali's journey In 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', Kajol played Anjali—first as the tomboyish best friend, then as the graceful bride-to-be. The film took a dramatic turn after the interval, where Anjali transforms not just in appearance but in her emotions. Caught between two men—Rahul, her college best friend played by Shah Rukh Khan , and Aman, her fiancé played by Salman Khan—Anjali eventually chooses to follow her heart. In the now-iconic climax, she ends up ditching Aman at the altar and reuniting with Rahul, much to the delight of fans. The photo Kajol posted comes from that very wedding sequence, making her cheeky caption all the more relevant. Looking Back on 25 Years of KKHH Marking 25 years of 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', Kajol reflected on the film's enduring legacy with warmth. 'Stepping back into Anjali's shoes after 25 years ( couldn't find the basketball though). So many memories and love attached to this film.. So glad that everyone loves it as much as I do,' she wrote. What's next for Kajol? On the work front, Kajol is gearing up for her next project—'Sarzameen', an action thriller slated for release on July 25. 'Already Scared' Akshay Kumar Reacts to Wife Twinkle & Kajol's Talk Show Tease

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store