Taking the Malayalam film industry by storm, debutant director Savin SA’s Vaazha 2 has emerged as a thunderous success at the box office. Thanks to a strategic release in the opening week of summer vacation and the postponement of the Jeethu Joseph and Mohanlal duo’s Drishyam 3 to May, coupled with favourable reviews from various quarters, Vaazha 2 has already emerged as one of the biggest hits of the year. Starring Hashir H, Ajin Joy, Vinayak V, and Alan Bin Siraj in the lead roles, the coming-of-age comedy-drama is a spiritual sequel to Vaazha (2024).While the movie and the performances of the lead actors have become a hot topic in Kerala, the spotlight is not new for Hashir and his gang. They have been social media sensations with a massive following, especially among late teens and young adults, for quite some time. In fact, it was the popularity they earned through social media content creation that paved the way for their entry into the first installment of the Vaazha franchise, though their roles were small and largely inconsequential.Don’t Miss | Vaazha 2 review: Hashir and gang are impressive in a sequel that far outshines its predecessorAlthough Hashir has the largest fan base among the four, the other three are also beloved figures among Malayali netizens. While most of their videos are comedic, what makes their content resonate is its relatability. The fact that the four are friends in real life has also played a key role in making their videos more attractive, as they capitalise on their chemistry. However, it’s not as if they’ve all been friends since childhood. While Hashir and Ajin studied together in school, Vinayak joined them in Plus One. Alan was a friend of one of Hashir’s friends.Who is Hashir?A happy-go-lucky person, Hashir didn’t have many plans in life as a student. He studied Computer Science in Plus Two and then pursued an undergraduate degree in History. Since he felt he wouldn’t pass the course on the first attempt, Hashir decided to set aside a year to write supplementary exams. He was so sure of his failure that he didn’t even bother worrying about what was next. But when the results came, he passed. However, since his close friends didn’t, he decided to take a gap year to join the next course with them. This gap year, nonetheless, marked a turning point in his life. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hashir H (@hashireeeee)As he was pretty much jobless, Hashir decided to do something fun and considered making short comedy videos. “One day, when I decided to make a video, I felt I needed one more person. Since Alan was interested in such things, I called him. At first, we weren’t that close; we only saw each other while filming. But gradually, our ‘vibe’ clicked,” he shared during a conversation with Grihalakshmi. Subsequently, Ajin and Vinayak also joined the picture.Interestingly, there was one more member in their gang, Akash. While he too was with them in their early videos, Akash eventually had to migrate to the Gulf in search of immediate employment due to financial issues at home. L-R: Alan Bin Siraj, Hashir, Ajin Joy, and Vinayak V. (Credit: Instagram/@hashireeeee)“Later, we created the viral content ‘Enthokkeyaada Ee Kochu Keralathil Nadakkanath (What is happening in this small Kerala)?’ When the videos became hits, many others expressed interest in joining our group. However, we decided not to take anyone else in,” he added.Story continues below this adMust Read | 2,500 movies in 62 years: Even if we start watching Sukumari’s films at a rate of one per day, we would finish only by 2033Hashir and gang’s ‘rules’Initially, they had no specific goals; they just wanted the videos to be a bit different. “There was a trend among comedians and people in general to present the Thiruvananthapuram dialect with a lot of exaggeration. I felt a desire to change that and present it the way people here actually speak.”Although their initial videos drew only a few hundred followers, Hashir and his gang’s fan base grew slowly but steadily thanks to their relatable, funny content. “We had made a few decisions, such as not using bad words in videos, avoiding double-meaning jokes (innuendos), and no body shaming,” Ajin told Grihalakshmi. Initially, they uploaded videos only on Hashir’s account, but once they began gaining traction, they ensured that all of them received the spotlight. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hashir H (@hashireeeee)‘We don’t create dialogues with intention of making them go viral’While their videos, as a whole, earned praise, it was mostly the one-liners and certain dialogues that became the most popular, such as the “Enthokkeyaada Ee Kochu Keralathil Nadakkanath?” one. “It is the audience who makes the dialogues trend. We don’t create them with the intention of making them go viral. We use the same kind of things we say in our daily lives in our videos as well. We just take everyday conversations and present them in a slightly more entertaining way. We simply make videos in a natural manner,” Hashir told Cue Studio. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hashir H (@hashireeeee)Even though they didn’t have a clear idea of where they were going with the online content creation, the four were certain about one thing: if one person in the group succeeded, they all would. “We always believed that if one of us made it big, he would take the rest of us along. Everything else would follow naturally. It was enough for just one among us to find success. If I am the first to get a break, I will bring them along with me on the path I take.”ICYMI | Tovino Thomas often faced rejections for ‘not looking Malayali enough’; was ‘insulted at every turn’: ‘Met fake directors who demanded money for roles’Story continues below this adVaazha 2 inches closer to Rs 100 crore markVaazha 2 is currently performing far better than Midhun Manuel Thomas’ Jayasurya-Vinayakan starrer Aadu 3, which was one of the most anticipated films of the year and is currently the highest-grossing Malayalam film of 2026 thus far. While Aadu 3 recorded an India nett collection of Rs 7.28 crore and Rs 7.26 crore on its first Saturday and Sunday, respectively, the Hashir-starrer, even without big stars in the lead, minted Rs 7.20 crore and Rs 8.55 crore on its corresponding days. Vaazha 2 proved its impact on its first Monday, earning Rs 7.10 crore, compared to Aadu 3’s Rs 3.36 crore.The movie has grossed Rs 79.23 crore globally in just five days, according to industry tracker Sacnilk, and if it crosses the Rs 100 crore mark, Hashir will become the first Malayalam actor to achieve this milestone with his debut film as a hero.