Thrissur: Once mocked by neighbours for his fascination with theatre, little Ashwin Babu is now making a big leap in Malayalam cinema stepping into the spotlight as the lead actor in filmmaker Dudu Devassy’s upcoming movie ‘Kullante Makan’.

Ashwin’s story began in the halls of the Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, where he often accompanied his parents on holidays to watch stage plays. His father, K.H. Suresh Babu, a makeup artist, and his mother encouraged his growing curiosity for acting, even as some locals ridiculed their dreams for their son.

Ashwin’s journey into cinema started unexpectedly. One day, while visiting the set of Mammootty’s film ‘Gaanagandharvan’ with his father, a sudden search began for a child actor. Among the onlookers, four-year-old Ashwin caught the crew’s attention. His performance impressed everyone, including cinematographer Alagappan, who shook his hand and said, “Welcome to the Malayalam industry.”

That simple moment changed everything.

Now 10 years old, Ashwin has become one of the most recognisable young faces in Malayalam advertising. With his curly hair, bright smile, and expressive eyes, he has appeared in more than 20 commercials, including national campaigns for Surf Excel Matic Liquid, Polycab Wires, Society Spice Secrets, and Sweet Karam Coffee.

In Malayalam, his charm has featured in ads for Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS, Vivo, Kalyan Silks, Pothys, Milma, and Nellara Puttu Podi. He has also appeared in government campaigns such as Kerala Tourism, Alappuzha Tourism, and Punyam Poomkavanam, earning him recognition far beyond his hometown.

Ashwin has already acted in five films. He portrayed Asif Ali’s childhood in ‘Otta’, the directorial debut of Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty, and played a touching role as the son in ‘Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn!’

He will next be seen in Jee Chirackal’s ‘Jeenthol’, currently awaiting release, and in the Tamil movie ‘Por Paravai’ written and directed by Muthukrishnan Palani.

Beyond acting, Ashwin is equally passionate about music. He plays violin, keyboard, drums, and ukulele.