Mathew Thomas had a very accidental entry into cinema. "A career in cinema was not even in the wildest of dreams," chuckles Mathew today. It was his adolescent curiosity that lead him to this world. When the 10th-grade student attended auditions for a new film held in his school, he had no idea of what destiny had in store. The film was Kumbalangi Nights (2019), and the role he bagged— Franky, the youngest of the Napolean brothers. It was a carefully curated launch that helped Mathew learn and absorb from some of the finest talents around. There has been no looking back since then. "It has been an exciting journey so far. I never even imagined being an actor, but in these six years, I haven't come across anything that's even remotely as exciting as this."
With a strong appetite to learn and improve, Mathew says he adopts multiple means to hone his skills. It can be through watching films or attending workshops, or purely by observing his fellow actors. "Watching films is my primary source of inspiration. I gain something out of each film and try to incorporate these learnings wherever they suit. It might succeed or backfire, but I feel it's important to experiment and upgrade because everything in cinema is achieved through a trial-and-error process. You can't be guaranteed anything in this business."
Mathew's latest release in Malayalam, Bromance, saw him experimenting in a space that he hadn't ventured before. He plays Binto, a youngster with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED), a condition that triggers repeated episodes of impulsive and violent behavior that are out of proportion to the situation. While some lauded Mathew's performance, a section of the audience felt it was exaggerated and annoyingly loud. The trolls have grown nastier post the film's recent digital premiere on Sony LIV. While most break under such panning, Mathew is pragmatic enough to understand where the comments are coming from. "As per the brief, Binto has a high BP issue and gets riled up easily. When triggered, he acts illogically and makes absurd decisions. The emotional layers were added on the go, and it was quite a challenge to portray his complexities. I agree when people say the performance went overboard because that's what we also intended. But what I didn't realise is how the performance would look visually on a big screen. We could have toned it down, but we erred in judging the aesthetics," admits Mathew, adding, "But I don't regret it because I did it with total conviction. I've now learnt that there's a line you shouldn't cross in a commercial film, however over-the-top the character is. That's my takeaway from this whole episode."
Bromance is Mathew's fourth outing with director Arun D Jose after Jo and Jo (2022), 18+ Journey of Love (2023), and Samadhana Pusthakam (2024), which the filmmaker just wrote. Mathew says their rapport goes beyond just being an actor and a director. "I've known Arun from Prakashan Parakkatte (2022), in which he was the chief associate. I trust his skills and vision, and we're also good friends, which makes it much easier. If you take Bromance, most of them on the team are my friends. Sangeeth (Prathap) ettan, cinematographer Akhil George, editor Chaman (Chakko), writers Raveesh (Nath) and Thomas (Sebastian)... these are people with whom I can discuss things beyond cinema." So, does working with friends make the process a lot easier? "Yes, you can say that, because with friends, there is a certain comfort factor. You have the freedom to experiment and improvise. At the same time, I also love working with a new team because I get introduced to fresher working styles. It's crucial to grow as an artist."
Mathew is currently awaiting the release of Lovely, which hits screens this Friday (May 16). This fantasy entertainer about a rare bond between a fly and a young man presented the actor with a new set of challenges, including performing alongside something non-existent. "We initially thought of using a pointed stick and moving it around, but soon realised it was too complicated for post-production. We eventually had to perform against thin air, imagining the movements in our head." Citing SS Rajamouli's Eega (2012), Bong Joon Ho's Okja (2017), and an old Malayalam film called O' Faby (1993) as his reference points, the actor adds, "It wasn't easy. Since the fly's interactions are mostly with my character, it becomes my responsibility to convince the audience of its existence."
Up next, Mathew also has Udumbanchola Vision, a thriller, and Night Riders, a horror comedy. Elaborating on how he picks his projects, the youngster says, "It's based on a lot of factors—script, technicians, their vision... Since I'm more into commercial cinema, my films must work with a majority audience. Watching films in theatres is also expensive today, so I try to ensure my films have something worth the money."