17th Anniversary Special: R Madhavan reflects on 24 years in cinema: Breaking the ‘Chocolate Boy’ tag and embracing sustainability

“In a world that is changing quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks,” is one of the popular pearls of wisdom by the iconic industrial doyen, the late Ratan Tata. Actor R Madhavan, who spent the early days of his life in Jamshedpur, the town established by Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, seems to fiercely believe in the adage.

Maddy’s (as he is fondly known) Instagram bio, which says that he lives 100 lives within one, is testimony to that. The actor, who began facing the arc lights in the early ’90s, became a household name after his appearance in soap operas like Banegi Apni Baat, Sea Hawks, and Ghar Jamai. And when he stormed the silver screen as the dashing Karthik Varadarajan in Mani Ratnam’s Alaipayuthey in 2000, with his bike trundling on the bustling roads of Chennai to the beats of Endrendrum Punnagai, he and his infectious smile instantly enchanted a zillion hearts, especially women, which eventually went on to earn him the tag of ‘chocolate boy’ and a kitty teeming with romantic projects. But not one to rest on his laurels, the actor pushed the envelope with projects like Kannathil Muthamittal, Irudhi Suttru, Vikram Vedha, and Shaitaan and recently wielded the megaphone with Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, for which he won his maiden National Award.

Having said that, Maddy is not someone who confines himself to the glitzy and glamorous world of showbiz. This avid golfer loves teeing off on the turf and gives wings to his dreams through his passion for radio-controlled flying. He also nurtures his green thumb through his terrace garden, which his fans feast their eyes on from time to time. The suave actor has now gone the extra mile by taking up a piece of barren land in Palani and converting it into an agriculturally rich organic farm. And that’s not all. He has also been inspiring a legion of his fans with his power-packed speeches as a motivational speaker. He truly is living many lives at the same time.

On the 17th anniversary of Indulge, Maddy lets us in on his film journey, his massive fan following among women, shattering the ‘chocolate boy’ tag, propagating sustainability, handling social media trolls, the secret to his age-defying looks, and a lot more. Excerpts...

Twenty four years in cinema and three decades in showbiz. When you look back at your journey, how does it feel?

Thank you for putting all the numbers in place and reminding me how long I’ve been here. But with every passing year, the nervousness, excitement, childlike thrill, and fear of going to a set and giving my first shot become even more challenging. It’s only when I look at the years behind that I realise the body of work that I have done. But at the same time, I also believe that I have a long way to go and a lot more to give. I have just scratched the surface as an actor. And that thought keeps me going even more today than 24 years ago.

You have always been known as the ‘chocolate boy’ in the industry. Was it difficult to break that tag when you worked in films like Evano Oruvan, Irudhi Suttru, Shaitaan, or Rocketry: The Nambi Effect?

I’m very grateful for the ‘chocolate boy’ tag. It’s not easy to come by. And although very flattering, I feel that I surpassed that image decades ago. It’s not age-appropriate, but I think today it’s more a term of endearment and a reflection of the work I have done before. And now, it is something that people look forward to fondly when they see an earlier work of mine.

Over time, I think I’ve established the fact that I have great scripts and characters to my credit. I’m keen on doing characters that will be remembered. When I hear a script, I either resonate with it instantly or not. And if I do, then I know I can sink my teeth deeply into those roles.

And all the characters you mentioned, be it Shaitaan, Evano Oruvan, Irudhi Suttru, Breathe, or Rocketry, are scripts and characters that got me excited the moment I heard them. And hence, it was not difficult to break the tag. Also, it wasn’t my intention to break the tag.

Which role of yours is the closest to your real self?

I think it is a strange mix of Madhav Shastri (Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein), Farhan Qureshi (3 Idiots), and Mr Nambi Narayanan (Rocketry: The Nambi Effect). They had my soul in bits and pieces.

You have always enjoyed a massive fan following, especially among women. Did you have any crushes of your own?

Well, I’m very grateful for the fan following. I always feel that people are talking about someone else when bestowed with such compliments, and I have an out-of-body experience when I witness that in person. I can never get enough of or used to it. I am very blessed, since I adore all women and am in awe of their strength, wisdom, and tenacity. I feel extremely honoured when I get love from them.

You have maintained that the middle-class attitude is the best to have. How has it helped you in your journey?

The fact that it keeps you grounded, no matter what the outcome or level of success, is one of the greatest strengths of having that attitude. Competency never sets in when the fear of survival exists, and the middle-class attitude has helped me stay in the survival zone for 24 years. Having said that, it’s also important to have the roar of a lion when the situation demands, and I have been able to exercise that bit of my attitude effectively in my journey so far. I never forgive and forget.

You have multiple interests outside cinema: being an RC pilot, golfing, skiing, organic farming, to name a few. How do you manage to find time amid your film assignments?

Unlike what many may believe, it’s not an extracurricular activity. It’s also an exercise for survival to get into a world outside cinema to understand who I am making the stories for and how relevant it is for them.

Indulging in all these extracurricular activities helps me meet people from myriad walks of life, and I learn a lot about where society is headed. Being inside the film industry all the time makes you less aware of the progress outside, and sometimes that can end up in you becoming irrelevant.

You took up an eco-friendly project in Palani, and you said that you planned to replicate the model worldwide. What made you pursue this? Any developments on that front?

I’ve always been crazy about nature, and I’m the happiest when there is greenery around. When I find an opportunity to experiment with things that might grow in arid places, I do that with all gusto. The Palani restoration was one of those projects where we grew hybrid coconuts and then tried to replicate that model in other places. Similarly, we’re looking at other ventures where sustainability is possible with the least amount of pollution and the least amount of reliability on chemicals and GMO seeds. So, in that pursuit, I have been able to find many ways to grow garden vegetables on my terraces wherever I’ve lived, including my apartments in Mumbai. And once you taste the organic fruits and vegetables, it’s very difficult to have respect for the GMO.

You are ageing like fine wine, and you have been sending fans into a frenzy every time you share your new looks on social media. What’s the secret to your dashing look?

I don’t know how to react to questions like that because I’ve never done anything extra. I have never been to a doctor to get rid of wrinkles or lines. I’ve just been blessed with it, I guess, because of my vegetarian diet. I don’t know how to put a finger on how I’ve managed to look the way I do. But when I look at myself in the mirror, I do feel that I’ve aged and not very gracefully. I think it’s the kindness and the love of people’s eyes that make them see me in a different light.

What’s your advice to your son Vedaant?

You’re a celebrity kid, and everybody will look at you as somebody who’s privileged and believes that a celebrity lifestyle is something that you have been born with. So, be even more humble than a normal person. Be even more aware of your surroundings, and when you go out of the country, remember all the time that you represent the nation.

We live at a time when social media trolls are at their peak. How do you handle negative comments?

Social media trolls are of little consequence. These are people who are injured and badly damaged, in my opinion. It doesn’t matter what you do; you’re always going to get negative and nasty comments. You have to learn to take it all in your -stride, and I do that. The easiest way is to block them, and I do that too. For people who get affected by them, I’d like to tell them there’s a world beyond social media. So, do not get attracted to that one negative comment. Focus on the 25,000 other positive ones, and you’ll realise how validated you are in putting up the post. Spending less time on social media is even better.

What’s your life motto?

In today’s world, all I will say is live and let live, do not pass judgment, and be accepting of all things as long as it doesn’t affect your core beliefs, faith, and conditioning. If it does, try to find the easiest, most social, and decent way out. Violence is not the answer. Maintain your individuality, and you will soon attract your kind of people.

What’s the update on your upcoming projects, Test, Mithran Jawahar film, and others?

They are in various stages of post-production and should be released soon.

Email: sangeetha.p@newindianexpress.com

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