Joy Mathew

John Abraham's Amma Ariyan gave Joy Mathew his first screen role in 1986, and it was the lead. The British Film Institute voted the film among the ten best Indian films. Theatre has run through his work just as strongly. He has written more than 22 Malayalam plays, among them Sankadal, which won him a Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi award in 1996, and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi has recognised his drama writing. Shutter (2012) was his first film as director. It follows unexpected events over two days and a night in Kozhikode, premiered at the 17th International Film Festival of Kerala, where it took the Silver Crow Pheasant audience award, and travelled to festivals including Dubai, Busan and Hamburg. It also won him the Vanitha award for Best Scriptwriter and an Asiavision award for Best Debut Director. As an actor he received a Kerala State Film Award special mention for Mohavalayam, and as a writer he won the state award for Best Story for Uncle (2018). His character work includes Drishyam 2: The Resumption (2021), Chandy Kunju in 2018 (2023), and Aasha (2026). Ahead is a lead part in Ajith Poojappura's upcoming Sidhu.