Madhavan, who has been in showbiz since he was 16, has acted in a gambit of roles in Hindi and regional cinema. His last stint was as a black magic user in the movie Shaitaan (which you can watch on Netflix). And he's so convincing in his role as an evil troublemaker that it's tough to see him on a normal day without conjuring up images of that evil smirk (and the subsequent goosebumps).
The actor, who is based in Dubai, is quick to dismiss the assumption that what you see on the screen is a complete embodiment of his character; they are more echoes of his personality.“By and large, I think I've had such life experiences that it's easy for me to dig into that and come up with what is required for the character,” he laughs.“I'm actually a very simple man. I'd like to live within the law and make sure that I contribute a little bit [to society].”
And it's this conviction – this gentle nudge towards bettering his community that made him perfectly poised to take on the role he's here at Mint Leaf of London, Business Bay to talk about: a common man who goes against manipulative corporations with a penchant for your money. In the upcoming Zee5 Global movie Hisaab Barabar, he plays Radhe Mohan Sharma, a railway ticket collector who loves maths and leads a simple life. When Radhe comes across a mysterious anomaly in his bank account and goes looking for the cause, he finds himself faced with a conniving industry out to make money irrespective of who it shortchanges.
“I used to keep getting these messages, and I'm sure you do too, from banks, saying this small amount of money has been added as interest, and sometimes the amount is so small and insignificant that you don't actually call the bank, even though you don't understand what is happening. When we had passbooks, you knew exactly what amount of money [we] had at the bank. Now, [we] have no clue. That makes me feel like I'm not in control,” he says, recalling reading the script that immediately resonated with him.
When it comes to exploring the David versus Goliath trope, Indian cinema has it well covered, but can one person make such a big difference to corrupt systems that are rusted from the inside out? Madhavan, it seems, is an optimist.“Absolutely, if you look at all the achievements of some great sportsmen or people who come from very modest backgrounds, you know, [they do]. Swimmers who swam in lakes and ponds and then make it internationally, you should see that. We see heroes on a day to day basis in the army who are ready to lay down their lives for the sake of the nation. You see people who do their job despite the worst calamities, and you see the goodness of human beings when disaster strikes. Those are all heroes, and I think they make a huge difference,” he says.
No one is an island
He adds that when it comes to sports people, we tend to look at their achievements, but if we dig a bit deeper, we'd find that the success only comes with support.“The heroes are not just the athletes, but their parents who are able to make that happen, because to become an international athlete the amount of dietary control and physical fitness you require. It's the parents who are doing that,” he says.
He knows what he's talking about - his son, Vedaant Madhavan, is a champion swimmer and a five-time gold medalist at the Malaysian Open. But as far as his diving into his son's career is concerned, Madhavan waves off the idea, relegating himself to the role of a public relations person.“My son and my wife are the actual champions of that. I'm the one who tweets and gets all the credit. But the hard work has been put by my wife and my son,” he says.
Madhavan, who is a regular feature in both Hindi and Tamil cinema, says he's happy to be a part of both industries.“I think right now they're bouncing off each other. The South films are doing tremendously well. The Hindi film industry is lagging a little bit, but I'm sure they'll end up pulling up their socks. But the industries are both the same. The intensity of involvement is the same. I'm just happy to be part of both industries because it gives me a bigger choice of doing products and films and stories,” he tells City Times.
This presence has also given him fans across the world - and that helps him fight imposter syndrome, he says.“I get up in the morning extremely nervous about what I'm doing. And there's a reality check when I look in the mirror every morning; I keep thinking, 'What are you doing?' 'You're not looking like what you should', or 'You're not behaving like you should'. But I come out of the house and I see the love and affection that I get from my fans in Dubai, and the awe and the respect that they have. It's such a great inspiration ... I'm ever grateful for that,” he says.
The actor, who is today kitted out in a black suit with detailing, has been staying fit.“Of late, I don't eat till I'm hungry. I only eat when I feel hunger happening and when I feel hungry, then the healthy food tastes really good. If I have to eat [based] on mealtimes, healthy food doesn't taste as good, and I am tempted to go for the unhealthy things, so I wait for the hunger pangs to really kick in before I take a bite, and that's worked for me,” he shares.
The trailer of the movie Hisaab Barabar came out last week, and in it, Madhavan's character talks about a new India, one that will not stand for corruption or the mistreatment of its citizens.“It is a new India,” says Madhavan with conviction, adding,“It's not just India that has changed. It's Indians too. Indians around the world have been so empowered because of the successes that they've shown, because they've shown that they're extraordinary citizens who do not interfere with local politics or try to force their culture on other people. They're a great part of society. But I also believe that with that sort of recognition and empowerment comes a great responsibility. So if you want to be considered as a third-most financial or the fourth-most financially powerful country, I think citizens should also buckle up and make sure that their social habits, their ability to set an example, is also there,” he mulls.
For now, the actor is waiting for the response to Hisaab Barabar, out on Zee5 Global on January 24, and he is nervous.“Before the release of every film, I'm a wreck,” he admits.“With every progressing year, it's even more intense.”