'He was just a child who knew nothing; today, he is playing a police officer’: Unnimaya on Mathew’s growth

KOCHI: Mathew Thomas, who first caught the attention of Malayali audiences with Kumbalangi Nights, has come a long way in his acting career. From playing a teenager at the age of 15 to taking on challenging roles, Mathew has steadily established himself in Malayalam cinema. He also played actor Vijay’s son in the Tamil film Leo.

Mathew is now set to play a police officer for the first time in his career in Prathama Drishtya Kuttavalikal. Actress Unnimaya Prasad, who worked with him in Kumbalangi Nights, recently opened up about his growth from a young newcomer to an established actor.

“When Mathew came to Kumbalangi Nights, he was just a child. There were many things he had to learn for the film,” Unnimaya said in an interview with a leading media outlet.

She recalled that Mathew did not even know how to swim at the time. However, he quickly picked up new skills needed for the film.

“He learned to swim, row a boat, cast a fishing net and even play football. He was always willing to learn whatever was required,” she said.

Unnimaya said Mathew’s attitude towards cinema has remained the same even after all these years. According to her, he continues to approach his work with an open mind and is always ready to learn.

“He is someone who listens carefully to what others say. He takes the time to understand it before responding. That quality has been there since the beginning,” she said.

Recalling the shooting days of Kumbalangi Nights, Unnimaya said Mathew would spend most of his weekends at the location. He would reach the sets soon after school on Fridays and return home only on Sundays. Even during his school holidays, he spent much of his time with the film crew.

“He learned many things by being around the crew and experiencing everything directly on the sets. Eventually, he learned to row a boat by himself, cast a net, catch fish and even cook and eat the fish he caught,” Unnimaya recalled.

She said these experiences reflected Mathew’s willingness to learn and his openness to new experiences.

“His openness and eagerness to learn have not changed. That is something I noticed in him then, and I still see the same quality in him today,” Unnimaya added.