Fahadh Faasil uses a 17 year old non-smartphone that cost at least Rs 5 lakh when it was launched, no longer in production. Watch

Fahadh Faasil uses an ultra-luxury phone that reportedly cost around Rs 5-10 lakh when it was first released nearly two decades ago.

By: Entertainment Desk
Kochi | Updated: July 17, 2025 11:47 AM IST

At Mollywood Times' puja ceremony, Fahadh Faasil was spotted speaking on a keypad phone. (Credit: Facebook/@FahadhFaasil, Screenshot: YouTube/@StarTrend_ytb)

It’s no secret that Fahadh Faasil likes to stay away from social media, and does not own a smartphone. Both he and his colleagues have often spoken about his tenuous relationship with technology. In fact, actor Vinay Forrt recently revealed that Fahadh uses a “basic phone that is not sophisticated at all.” Now, a video has gone viral showing Fahadh using his mobile phone, and just as Vinay said, it’s far from “smart”; but perhaps even more fascinating.

While attending the puja ceremony of director Abhinav Sunder’s Naslen-starrer Mollywood Times, Fahadh was spotted speaking on a phone — a rare sight that immediately drew the attention of media persons present. As the clip surfaced online, eagle-eyed and tech-savvy fans were stunned to see that Fahadh was using a keypad phone. And it wasn’t just any ordinary feature phone. It was an ultra-luxury device that reportedly cost around Rs 5 lakh when it was first released nearly two decades ago.

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According to a clip posted on his Instagram handle by content creator Effin M, known for doing videos about the gadgets and apparel used by celebrities, the phone Fahadh uses is a Vertu Ascent Ti. First announced in 2007 and released in 2008, the model is no longer in production. One of its standout features is its premium construction. The phone is crafted using titanium, sapphire crystals and hand-stitched leather. At the time of its launch, it was priced at Rs 5.54 lakh. While it’s since been discontinued, Effin said that the device may still be found on pre-owned websites for Rs 1–1.5 lakh.

Meanwhile, a report by Hindustan Times speculated that Fahadh may have been using the Vertu Ascent Retro Classic Keypad Phone, which costs $11,920 (around Rs 10.2 lakh). It is currently listed as out of stock on Vertu’s official website.

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Known for living off the radar, Fahadh Faasil is widely regarded as one of the finest actors in India today. Following a stellar 2024 during which he delivered notable movies like Aavesham, Vettaiyan, Bougainvillea and Pushpa 2: The Rule, Fahadh is now gearing up for his first release of 2025, Maareesan, in which he reunites with his Maamannan (2023) co-star Vadivelu. The movie is scheduled to hit screens on July 25.

Can you use a phone from 2007 in 2025?

Technically, yes, the Vertu Ascent Ti was shipped with network compatibility for GSM and UMTS. GSM stands for Global System for Mobile Communication, and UMTS is Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. In simple words, GSM is 2G, which was launched in the late ’90s, and UMTS is 3G, which made its way in the early 2000s. Today, while telecom companies are rapidly adopting 5G, many are phasing out 3G and 2G. But many operators continue to offer 2G and 3G in India; hence, anyone using the Vertu Ascent Ti can make and receive calls. It needs to be noted that even if 2G or 3G is available, browsing modern web on old devices could be extremely difficult. Similarly, apps and emails may not work either. Users would be limited to basic calling, SMS, or even the nearly obsolete WAP-based browsing if a 2G network is available. WAP here is Wireless Application Protocol, which is a set of communication protocols introduced in 1999 to allow users to access the internet on mobile devices.

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