Riz Ahmed reacts to Fahadh Faasil comparisons in ‘Digger’: ‘I’m not familiar with his films’

When Riz Ahmed’s look as Ganesh in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s ‘Digger’ was unveiled, Indian audiences were quick to draw comparisons with Malayalam star Fahadh Faasil. From the high forehead and pencil moustache to the glasses and understated styling, Ahmed’s character immediately reminded many viewers of the actor.

What makes the comparison more interesting is that Faasil had actually auditioned for the same role. Now, Ahmed has revealed that he was unaware of the Fahadh connection, even though he deliberately gave his ‘Digger’ character a Kerala link.

In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Ahmed was asked about the comparisons that surfaced after the first look of the film was released. The British actor-musician admitted that he had not seen Faasil’s films, but said the conversation had prompted him to look up the Malayalam star.

“I’m not familiar with Fahadh Faasil’s films, but I’m going to make sure to check out his work now,” Ahmed said.

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He also acknowledged the wider appeal of Indian cinema, particularly the film industries in the southern states.

“I know that there’s such an incredible industry in South India with so many stars. I always want to kind of watch more movies from India and see what’s going on there,” he added.

Why is Riz Ahmed’s ‘Digger’ character from Kerala?

The Kerala connection was not added as a nod to Faasil. Ahmed explained that Ganesh’s background was developed with specific details in mind.

“I chose Kerala as a place of origin because of the surname Ganesh and how that’s more common in South Indian immigrants as well, and how that can often get assigned as a family name amongst those communities,” he said.

Ahmed also wanted Ganesh’s background to connect with his interest in the sea and the environment.

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“I also wanted the connection to the sea and that kind of stuff in his heritage, since he’s interested in the environment and the oceans,” he explained.

The coincidence is particularly notable because Faasil had previously revealed that he auditioned for ‘Digger’ and met Iñárritu to discuss the role.

According to Faasil, the meeting went well, but the filmmaker had concerns about his American accent. He was reportedly asked to spend three to four months in the US working on it. Faasil eventually decided against taking up the offer, citing the practical and financial aspects involved.

“To perfect the accent, I was told to go to the US and stay there for three or four months. But they weren’t ready to pay for that. That’s why I skipped it. Otherwise, I would have gone running,” Faasil had said.

He added that the commercial aspects of the arrangement did not work for him and that he did not feel strongly enough about the accent requirement to pursue it.

Riz Ahmed on creating Ganesh’s look

While the Fahadh resemblance became an unexpected talking point, Ahmed said considerable thought went into creating Ganesh’s appearance.

Working with Iñárritu meant that even after the team had spent days developing a particular look for the character, the filmmaker could decide to start over.

“We spent a lot of time working on the looks, the prosthetics, the hair, the glasses, the facial hair and the costume,” Ahmed recalled.

After countless hours of work, the team photographed the finalised look and showed it to Iñárritu.

“He was like, ‘Yeah, I think this is good.’ Then he said, ‘Now let’s do the total opposite. We’ve seen that. Now let’s go to the complete opposite.’”

Ahmed said the experience captured the director’s approach to filmmaking.

“He is someone who embraces exploration and really encourages that process of not knowing and discovery. And that can be really disorienting because a lot of people don’t do that. It’s scary and risky, but it’s also very invigorating.”

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For Ahmed, that willingness to experiment ultimately reflects in Iñárritu’s films, where he feels every element appears committed and alive.

In ‘Digger’, Ahmed plays Ganesh, a scientist and one of the few people trusted by Tom Cruise’s oil magnate Digger Rockwell. The film follows the fallout from an ecological disaster triggered by Rockwell’s company, with the crisis threatening to escalate into a nuclear conflict.

‘Digger’ is set to release in Indian theatres on October 2, 2026.