SINGAPORE – It did not matter that the part was small. For Singaporean actor Mathialagan, it was an “incredible opportunity” to be in a Hollywood movie.

The 59-year-old, who starred in Mediacorp’s long-form series Tanglin (2015 to 2018) and legal drama Code Of Law (2012 to 2020), has a small role as an arms dealer in Monkey Man.

The action thriller, now showing in Singapore, is British actor Dev Patel’s directorial debut. It follows the story of Kid, played by Patel, 33, who is out to avenge a past wrong.

Mathialagan took to Instagram on April 7 to express his gratitude to Patel. Mathialagan also shared a clip of his scene.

The actor wrote: “Grateful beyond words for the incredible opportunity to be a part of Monkey Man, helmed by a true legend in the industry.”

He added that working alongside Patel was “an absolute honour and a masterclass in itself”.

“His and his team’s vision, dedication and passion for storytelling have left an indelible mark on me. It’s been a journey of learning, growth and sheer joy.”

Patel’s breakout role was in British director Danny Boyle’s Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire (2008). He went on to star in films such as The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) and Chappie (2015), before earning a best supporting actor Oscar nomination for the 2016 biopic Lion.

Correction note: An earlier version of the story misspelt Mathialagan’s name. This has been corrected. We are sorry for the error.