Arjuna Award winner, I. M. Vijayan is a former Indian football player, who started his international football career in 1989. He has been awarded the Indian Player of the Year in 1993, 1997 and 1999, making him the first player to have won the award multiple times. After representing India in 79 matches and scoring over 40 goals, Vijayan retired from international cricket in 2004, and since then he has set up a training academy for kids in his hometown.

Much before retiring from international football, Vijayan made his acting debut in 2001 with Jayaraj's National Film Award-winning movie Shantham. Following his debut, he went on to feature in movies like Mahasamudram, Gethu, Komban, The Great Father, and Mythily Veendum Varunnu. He is associated with the 2018 Malayalam drama Mattancherry, directed by Jayesh Mynakapilly.