Actor Fahadh Faasil has revealed that seasoned producer Listin Stephen was the one who decided to cast him in the 2011 thriller Chaappa Kurishu, despite widespread advice against the decision. Speaking at the convocation ceremony of the South Indian Film Academy (SIFA) in Kochi, where filmmakers Blessy and Shaji Kailas were also present, Fahadh recalled how the casting came about. “Everyone told Listin not to cast me, but he still went ahead,” the actor said.

Listin, whose Magic Frames production house is integrated with SIFA, responded with his own recollection of working with the then-up-and-coming actor. He said he still remembered the early days vividly: “After Chaappa Kurishu, I could not work with Fahadh again. Back in 2011, I had not paid him his remuneration yet. When I asked him, Fahadh just said, ‘Listin, give me whatever you feel is right.’ I asked him to name a figure, and he mentioned that for Tournament, he was paid Rs 65,000. For Chaappa Kurishu, I paid him Rs 1 lakh.”

Listin noted that at the time Fahadh was deeply involved in Chaappa Kurishu, more than even a junior artiste, contributing as an actor and with the dedication of a director and writer. “Today, even if you offer him Rs 5 crore, you might not get him. That is the magic of cinema,” he said. He added that newcomers should note Fahadh’s journey from a faltering debut in Kaiyethum Doorath, through a break from acting, to a celebrated comeback. “His full dedication to acting is something every aspiring artist should learn from.”