Unmissable is how Roshan Mathew describes his character in the upcoming thriller, Kankhajura. The actor plays Ashu, who reunites with his elder brother Max, essayed by Mohit Raina, after serving 14 years in prison. The Sony LIV series explores the changing family dynamics, conflicts, and secrets amid his return. With Ashu written as an unpredictable and intense part, Mathew says his approach was to build the character’s inner world in his mind.

“I tried to understand his core — who is Ashu when he is just by himself? What’s his base layer that no one else sees, because he is pretending in front of almost everyone,” shares the actor. Since his Bollywood debut with Anurag Kashyap’s Choked in 2020, Mathew has struck a balance, juggling Malayalam films like C U Soon (2020) and Night Drive (2022) with Hindi offerings Darlings (2022) and Ulajh (2024).

Kashyap has repeatedly remarked that unlike Bollywood, the Malayalam film industry is anti-hierarchical. Does Mathew agree? “Everything that he said is true. However, [in Bollywood], I’ve not had the kind of negative experiences that he has had. I’ve been lucky that even when I worked with a big star like Alia [Bhatt], I never felt that her stardom was hindering [filmmaking]. In fact, her being the star only helped the process, be it Darlings or Poacher [2024].”

He adds that in Malayalam cinema, people raise eyebrows if an actor throws starry tantrums. “Everybody is on equal footing [there]. When it isn’t the case, it’s an anomaly,” he states.