Malayalam actor Fahadh Faasil reveals why he switched to a rare Vertu dumb phone, valuing minimalism and intentional tech use. In a new interview, he shares his views on social media, digital distractions, and why he prefers being reachable only via email in the future.
Fahadh Faasil
A few weeks back, Malayalam actor Fahadh Faasil drew attention for being seen with a vintage “dumb phone”—a device that, when first released nearly twenty years ago, reportedly cost between ₹5–10 lakh.
Fahadh has always kept his distance from social media and digital distractions, so the sight of him with such a rare, retro phone quickly circulated online.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Fahadh discussed his approach to technology, his preference for minimalism, and why choosing to stay disconnected is intentional for him.
“I’ve been using a dumb phone for about a year now. That doesn’t mean I’ve cut myself off from the internet,” he explained. “I keep telling my wife that, ideally, I’d like to be reachable only by email in a couple of years."
He added, "Though, honestly, I doubt I’ll manage it. Anything you can do on your phone, you can do on your computer or iPad anyway. For me, it’s about convenience—having set times to check emails and respond, trying to bring some order to the chaos. I’m still working on it, but the aim is to set aside proper time slots for these things, even just for waking up on time.”
Previously, influencer Effin M identified Fahadh’s phone as a Vertu Ascent Ti, first released in 2008 and no longer manufactured.
The model, built with titanium, sapphire crystal, and hand-stitched leather, sold for Rs 5.54 lakh at launch, but now turns up on pre-owned sites for about Rs 1–1.5 lakh.
Although he avoids smartphones for daily use, Fahadh isn’t dismissive of their importance, particularly for his work. He made it clear that digital tools are still part of his process, just on his own terms.
“Having a smartphone is important for my work—like when I need to check a shot quickly. I’m not saying it isn’t essential. But now, I’ve organized things so I’m available when necessary."
He added, "There’s a system in place. But that’s got nothing to do with using social media. I was on Facebook and all those platforms early on, but it never suited me. I didn’t know what to share, how to respond to comments, and I was always firm about keeping personal photos private. Eventually, I decided to use social media only to update people about my films. That’s all I want it to be—a way to communicate my work, nothing personal.”
Despite his minimal presence online, Fahadh still keeps up with digital trends and sometimes takes inspiration from them. In the same interview, he mentioned that one of the most memorable scenes from his 2024 hit, Aavesham, was actually sparked by a viral reel.
His director and team showed him the clip right before shooting, showing that staying off social media doesn’t mean being out of touch. Fahadh credits those around him for keeping him informed and connected to what’s happening.
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