Roshan Mathew returns to theatre with Bye Bye Bypass, talks about acting, Chatha Pacha, & future directorial plans

Our theatre group wanted a strong idea to return to the stage, and when I brought this story about home and childhood, it resonated with them immediately. Though fictionalised, the core is true. As a child, my grandmother’s house, which was my childhood home, was demolished for a bypass road. As we worked, my single story grew into a powerful collection of memories from everyone. This loss and contradiction lie at the heart of the play. I am now considering bringing the play to Chennai.

Yes… It all started when I moved to Chennai to study at Madras Christian College (MCC). At that point in time, I was feeling a bit adrift, like there was a kind of dissolution in direction. That’s when this professional theatre group, Stagefright Productions, arrived at campus to audition people for a new play. They said the director was planning to create something from scratch, and I ended up auditioning for it. That was the real beginning for me.

Of course, I had done a bit of theatre before—some school skits and the occasional stage performance. After that initial play, I kept doing more, working with different theatre groups across Chennai, sometimes even freelancing with groups outside the city. I found myself fully immersed in it. I was working with this intensity and focus that I hadn’t felt in a long time. It gave me a sense of purpose, something to hold onto at a time when I didn’t really have a clear path ahead. There was real joy in it, and that joy kept me going.

All of my basics definitely came from theatre. That’s where I first started working seriously. If I look back, I would say I started working professionally around 2010 or 2011. And for the first five years of my career as a professional actor, I did only theatre. Everything I know about performance, timing, and presence, it all came from those years on stage. Later, when I began working in other mediums, especially when films opened up for me, I found myself adapting what I already knew to suit the demands of a new format. But the core of it remained the same. At the end of the day, it’s the same job: you are acting, you are telling a story. You’re a tool the director is using to shape and communicate a particular narrative, just in a different form. So yes, theatre gave me the grounding. And everything else has been about reshaping and refining that base to fit new spaces.

In theatre, there’s no going back; you have one shot every night, and everything happens live. You play the story chronologically, so you really experience the emotional arc as it unfolds. Each performance is slightly different, and you have to be fully present in the moment. It’s often a smaller team, and everyone ends up doing multiple things to keep the show running.

With films, while you do have the luxury of retakes if something goes wrong, it brings its own complications. Scenes are rarely shot in order, so you have to jump between emotional beats without the natural progression. It’s also a far more technical medium, with a lot more people involved, which can be both helpful and overwhelming. Actors are often the last link in a long technical chain, and that changes how you work. So yeah, the differences are huge, and navigating them requires different kinds of focus and adaptability.

These characters feel more believable to me, more grounded in reality. I have lived 32 years of life, and in that time, I have not met anyone without flaws. So, when I look at films or stories, the ones that resonate most are the ones that reflect that real, flawed nature of people. I do think it’s the flaws that help you connect to a character. It’s not just about what the flaws are, but about how much they influence a person’s choices and how they shape their personality or behaviour. That keeps changing from character to character. I have played all kinds of roles. And even then, none of these characters are what you’d call ‘bad people.’ They might have their issues, their mistakes, but that’s exactly what makes them human, and that’s how you connect with them.

I love storytelling. Theatre is the medium I have worked with the most and understand best; that’s why I am so connected to it. As I mentioned earlier, in theatre, every actor is involved in the creation process; it’s fluid and collaborative. With films, even though I have acted in a few, I don’t feel like I have fully learned how to work with the medium yet. Right now, I mostly focus on acting. I don’t have enough knowledge or control over the filmmaking process. But directing is something I want to do. At some point, I will direct at least one film. If I’m any good at it, I’ll keep going; if not, I will stop. So yes, direction is definitely on the cards, just sometime down the line.

I enjoy working across different industries because it pulls you out of any comfort zone you might be settling into. It’s like every cell in your body wakes up; it feels new when you first step into a different environment. Over time, as an actor, you realise that the core of your job stays the same, but everything around it changes. You have to adapt, and that adaptability is a crucial skill. I find that process fulfilling. Engaging that skill of adjusting to new settings keeps me energised. After working on a project outside Malayalam cinema, especially after doing two or three Malayalam films, I come back feeling more alive, more awakened as an actor.

There’s some incredible work happening here right now, and there are people I am eager to collaborate with, especially in the Tamil industry, where so many exciting opportunities are emerging. I have said no to certain projects because I felt the need to sharpen specific skills first. For example, I have turned down roles thinking maybe I should work on my Tamil first. But now, I am getting better with my Tamil, and I am hopeful that some exciting opportunities will come my way soon.

Yes… In fact, I still depend on those friends. While it’s not a huge group, it’s a close enough circle, and that means a lot to me. I do come to Chennai often because I love it; it feels like home. Even though it’s been a long time since I left in 2014 and the city has changed a lot, every time I am here, I immediately feel at ease and settle in quickly. Somehow, being in Chennai makes me feel lighter and more relaxed.

My sister was amazing, really brilliant! At home, we used to play around a lot. We would do little bits and pieces inspired by films we liked, playing characters just for fun. There was no real logic, just silly children’s games we made up. I think that’s where my fearlessness around performing and acting first started.

My parents were huge film buffs, so from a young age, we watched movies regularly. Whenever a good film came out, we would go to the theatre. And, every Sunday, the whole family would sit together to watch a movie on TV. My dad enjoyed cinema, so as we discovered more films, I naturally started connecting with certain actors and admiring them, and they became my inspirations. After coming to MCC, during the time of portable hard drives and easy access to movies, my world of films really opened up. It was so exciting to explore this whole new universe of cinema.

I usually call my family whenever there’s an exciting movie out, and they come along to watch it with me. They’re definitely proud when I do good work, and when I don’t, they’re not shy about letting me know. I often ask them for feedback, and they’ve gotten good at analysing films. They know how to articulate what they liked, what didn’t work, and what stood out to them. My mom and dad have sharpened their film sense. My sister too, of course. They have also embraced OTT platforms, so now they have easy access to films without any hassle. They watch movies from all over the world, which has made them very educated and discerning audiences. 

I don’t have a fixed idea of a dream role. If someone asked me right now, like, if God suddenly appeared and asked me what character I want to play, I would be completely lost. I wouldn’t know what to say. For me, it’s more about who I want to work with next. That question has a clearer answer. Usually, when I read a script or someone tells me a story that excites me, that character becomes my dream role. I get so passionate about it that I can’t stop thinking about it. Once that film is done, my dream role shifts to the next exciting story that comes my way. I am happy that it keeps changing. I don’t want to pin myself down to one specific character because then, after I do it, what comes next? 

Plus, thinking about one perfect role can create too much pressure, wondering if I’ll do it justice or not. So, it’s better to stay open and excited about whatever comes next. Yeah, I think that kind of pressure is unnecessary, and honestly, I am happy without it. This isn’t just a regular job; it’s about playing with whatever comes your way or is thrown at you. There’s no point in overthinking it. I’m a writer too, but I’m not someone who plans everything out. I just see what comes my way and try to make the best of it.

Actually, we haven’t started discussing the characters yet. But I can say that the film is inspired by WWE and is about a bunch of youngsters setting up their own little WWE-style league. It’s not just a fun film; it’s an action-comedy, which is something I haven’t done before. My character is pretty unique, and it has been a lovely experience to shoot so far. My character’s name is Vetri, but details about who he really is, what he does, and what drives him; I think it’s better to share those at a later stage. Moreover, there are two or three exciting projects that I am trying to schedule so they all happen smoothly. It’s in that planning phase now.

I really enjoy driving, so I would probably be a driver. I rarely get to go on drives because my schedule is unpredictable. But whenever I get free time, I take the car and just set off. It’s easier than planning flights or international trips. I enjoy driving around wherever I can get to in a day or two. It calms me down.

Oh both!

It would have to be something like a cool Wim Wenders road movie. Maybe A Perfect Day. But that’s just wishful thinking.

There are so many! But one line that continues to crack me up is Mere ko to khala cute lagti hai (Darlings).

I think they would say I am exhaustingly particular, especially about little things.

Box office success, definitely, at least at this point.