Has 'Malik' really established Fahadh Faasil as a pan-India hero?

'Malik' premiered digitally a couple of days ago

Actor Fahadh Faasil has become the talk of the town with his latest movie Malik, which was released digitally on June 15 and is receiving rave reviews. The perception is that the positive response to director Mahesh Narayanan's magnum opus has established the star as the new face of Malayalam cinema. So, can 'FaFa' open up new avenues for Mollywood the way Yash did for Sandalwood and Prabhas did for Telugu cinema? Here's our SWOT analysis:

Strength: Enviable acting abilities

Bollywood's Sanjeev Kumar was an expert at emoting with his eyes. That is what helped him capture his character's vulnerability in Khilona, a film about a poet who loses his sanity following a setback. He also used his eyes to bring out the rage and helplessness associated with Thakur, his character in the timeless classic Sholay. Fahadh, like 'Haribhai', uses his eyes to show internal emotions in complex roles, something he illustrated quite well in Joji. This makes him a good choice for performance-oriented roles, similar to the ones associated with the likes of Vikrant Massey and Ayushmann Khurrana.

Also Read | 'Malik' movie review: Fahadh Faasil delivers career-best performance in gripping drama

Weakness: Needs a good script

Prabhas consolidated his standing as a critic-proof hero when Saaho emerged as a big hit in the Hindi belt despite negative reviews. His star power and swag were enough to attract die-hard fans. Fahadh, unlike 'Darling', is more of a performer than a mass hero. In other words, he needs to sink his teeth into a solid script. He often can't rise above a mediocre script, something that became clear when the half-baked Irul failed to live up to expectations.

Opportunity: OTT is here to stay

The Covid-19 pandemic established OTT as a viable alternative to cinemas, which in turn helped Malayalam cinema find a wider audience. 'FaFa' has arguably benefitted the most from the digital revolution as all his OTT releases, barring Irul, received above-average to positive reviews from all parts of the country.

By contrast, Prithviraj's Cold Case and even Jayasurya's Sufiyum Sujatayum received mixed-to-negative responses. With theatres in Kerala yet to reopen, Fahadh might do a few more direct-to-OTT Malayalam films in the future if Kerala cinemas do not reopen in the coming months. Moreover, he can act in web series and steal the show like Samantha Akkineni did with The Family Man 2.

Threat: Can Mollywood make a 'Baahubalian' project?

Broadly speaking, a film can satisfy the pan-India audience if it gives them one thing they crave more often than not - a paisa vasool experience. Baahubali with its war sequences and punch dialogues fit the bill perfectly, emerging as a hit in nearly all markets.

The grand scale and larger-than-life action scenes did the trick for 2.0 while the massy trailer worked wonders for KGF. Malayalam cinema, which is synonymous with realistic narratives, has never really made films on such a scale. Even Mamangam was heavily rooted in native hues and lacked commercial elements. Moreover, even if Mollywood comes up with a big-budget masala entertainer to satisfy the masses, Fahadh would likely not be the best choice for it as he is hardly a massy hero.