Malayalam star Fahadh Faasil and actor-comedian Vir Das were both considered for roles in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s upcoming film Digger before Riz Ahmed was eventually cast alongside Tom Cruise.
According to The Times of India, the trailer for Digger recently generated buzz for Tom Cruise’s striking, almost unrecognisable look. Riz Ahmed’s commanding screen presence also drew attention. However, the role first attracted interest from two Indian actors.
In August 2025, Fahadh Faasil revealed that he had been in talks for a part in the film. Explaining why the project did not move forward, he said director Alejandro G. Iñárritu was concerned about his accent. Fahadh said he was asked to spend three to four months in the United States to perfect it, but the production was unwilling to cover the cost.
“It was not like he rejected me, but it was the accent that he was concerned about,” Fahadh said. “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.”
The Super Deluxe actor also revealed that he had spoken with Iñárritu over a video call and believed the filmmaker eventually felt he was not the right fit for the role.
Vir Das also came close to joining the project. In a post on X, later deleted, the actor-comedian revealed that he had auditioned twice before the filmmakers chose Riz Ahmed.
Reflecting on the outcome, Vir wrote, “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.” Although he later removed the post, screenshots quickly spread across social media, including Reddit.
Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Digger is a satirical comedy starring Tom Cruise, Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons. The film is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on 2 October.
