In the last decade, the rise of Malayalam cinema as one of India’s most daring and consistently inventive film industries has been hard to miss. From compelling storytelling to a relentless focus on craft, the industry has found admirers far beyond Kerala’s borders — including celebrated filmmaker Anurag Kashyap.

Known for his gritty, unfiltered filmmaking, Kashyap has been vocal about his love for Malayalam cinema, even claiming in interviews that he’s moving his base to the South and intends to make his mark in Malayalam films.But does a filmmaker of his stature need guidance while navigating this close-knit and distinctive industry? Actor Roshan Mathew doesn’t think so.Kashyap and Roshan have worked together in the past on a film called Choked- it was Roshan’s first film in Hindi and it also featured Saiyami Kher. “I don’t think he requires any guidance from me,” Roshan chuckles, speaking in a recent conversation. “ Firstly, he's so good as an actor, like Saiyami and I, we keep discussing how good he is and he's so much fun to watch on screen be it Rifle Club or Maharaja,. And I've always known that he was a great actor. I just didn't expect him to take it and embrace it so wholeheartedly.”Roshan also shared that he’s very much in touch with Anurag as he spent a lot of time in Kerala recently.

They met during the shoot of Rifle Club while he was there. He was also present at the K.R. Narayan Film Institute for a while,they also watched Kennedy together and finally adding that company is what he can provide to Anurag. Kashyap’s affection for Malayalam cinema seems to stem from the same space that continues to inspire actors like Roshan — an environment charged with creativity, experimentation, and a healthy disregard for conventional filmmaking norms.

For Roshan, it’s a particularly exhilarating time to be working in Malayalam films.“It’s incredible,” Roshan says. “All of us — my colleagues, my friends — we’re just grateful to be alive and working in this industry at this particular moment. There are some extremely talented filmmakers, incredibly skilled technicians, and a bunch of really brave producers who are willing to back risky ideas. Everyone’s playing together in this space, and it keeps you on your toes.”The actor believes that the collaborative and competitive spirit within the industry has pushed everyone to elevate their game. “There are so many actors from my friend circle itself — people I’ve known for the past five or seven years — who I’ve seen grow into artists capable of delivering work I wouldn’t have imagined when I first met them,” he observes.And it isn’t just the newcomers or the middle generation leading the charge. The veterans continue to set the tone for the industry. “People like Mammootty and Mohanlal are leading from the front.

They’re still choosing challenging roles, working with new directors, and inspiring the rest of us by showing us that there’s no room to slack off,” Roshan says.The rising stature of Malayalam cinema on the national stage, coupled with its growing global footprint, hasn’t made it complacent. If anything, Roshan believes it’s raised the bar for everyone involved. “It pushes you to put your best work into everything because the standards are very, very high,” he insists.

As Malayalam cinema continues to script a new chapter in Indian filmmaking history, it seems there’s space for both veterans and newcomers, insiders and outsiders, all united by a commitment to bold, boundary-pushing cinema.