Bollywood star Alia Bhatt praises Malayalam actor Fahadh Faasil, eyes collaboration

Making her highly anticipated debut at the Cannes Film Festival 2025, Bollywood star Alia Bhatt turned heads on the red carpet with her effortless style and charisma. However, it wasn’t just fashion that drew attention — Bhatt’s candid conversation with Brut India revealed her evolving artistic priorities, admiration for regional cinema, and thoughts on storytelling.

A love for Malayalam talent

In the interview, Bhatt spoke at length about the growing impact of regional Indian cinema, with a special emphasis on the Malayalam film industry. She praised acclaimed actors Roshan Mathew and Fahadh Faasil, both of whom she holds in high regard.

“Fahadh Faasil is someone I really admire. He’s a fantastic actor. His ‘Aavesham’ is one of my favourite films,” Bhatt said, expressing her enthusiasm for a future collaboration. “I would definitely be interested in working with him someday.”

She also fondly recalled working with Roshan Mathew in ‘Darlings’. “He’s a wonderful actor from the Malayalam industry who’s now making waves in Hindi,” she said, highlighting the increasing crossover of regional talent into mainstream cinema.

Regional cinema on the global stage

Bhatt acknowledged the role of digital platforms in amplifying diverse voices in cinema. “The pandemic taught me that we’re all one unit. Now, with global platforms, everyone gets to view everything — Korean, Japanese, Malayalam, Punjabi, and Kannada content,” she noted. She cited the Oscar-winning animated film ‘Flow’ as one of her recent discoveries, underscoring the accessibility of global storytelling.

On choosing roles and the power of writing

When asked about her method for selecting film roles, Bhatt emphasised that she doesn't categorise scripts as commercial or unconventional. “I go with what it's going to do for me as an actor,” she said. “The filmmaker and the writing are extremely important.”

A self-proclaimed “writer’s daughter,” Bhatt shared her deep connection to storytelling. “My mom, my dad, my sister — they're all writers. At my production house, script development is my favourite part because that’s where it all begins.”

As she continues to bridge the worlds of mainstream and meaningful cinema, Alia Bhatt’s Cannes appearance affirms her evolving identity — not just as a star, but as a thoughtful artist.