14 July,2026 04:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Fahadh Faasil, a still from Digger (pictures via X)
The recently released trailer of Alejandro G. Inarritu's upcoming film Digger has generated significant buzz, with Tom Cruise impressing fans in an almost unrecognisable avatar. While Cruise dominates the trailer, British actor Riz Ahmed has also caught attention with his pivotal role. Interestingly, it has now come to light that Indian actors Vir Das and Fahadh Faasil were also in the running for the part before Ahmed was cast.
Shortly after the trailer dropped, actor-comedian Vir Das revealed that he had auditioned for the film. Although he later deleted his post on X (formerly Twitter), screenshots quickly went viral across social media platforms, including Reddit.
Vir candidly shared his disappointment, writing, "Gave two auditions for this. They went with Riz Ahmed. Was severely crestfallen, but that's life. This script is insanity, in such a good way."
His revelation sparked discussions online, with fans debating whether Vir would have been a suitable choice for the role. The conversation also revived an earlier interview in which Malayalam star Fahadh Faasil had opened up about why he couldn't take up the project despite being in talks with the acclaimed filmmaker.
Speaking to Cue Studio in August 2025, Fahadh clarified that he wasn't rejected for the role. Instead, the issue revolved around perfecting his American accent.
"It was not like he rejected me, but it was the accent that he was concerned about. 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," Fahadh said.
The actor admitted that while working with Inarritu was a dream opportunity, the practical challenges made it difficult. "Otherwise, I would have gone running. The commercial aspects of it wouldn't have worked out. I didn't feel that kind of fire for it to do so much for my accent," he added.
Fahadh also revealed that he had a video call with the Oscar-winning filmmaker and felt that Iñárritu may have realised he wasn't the right fit for the character.
Directed by Alejandro G. Inarritu, Digger marks the filmmaker's first English-language feature since The Revenant (2015). The satirical comedy has been co-written by Sabina Berman, Alexander Dinelaris Jr. and Nicolas Giacobone.
The film features an ensemble cast including Tom Cruise, Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons. Scheduled to release on October 2, Digger follows wealthy oil tycoon Digger Rockwell, played by Cruise, who races against time to convince the world that he is humanity's saviour, even as his actions continue to push it toward disaster.
