The conversation around gender equality is not new, but it is still relevant, even more so as society continues to evolve. And actor R Madhavan feels men need to get on board with the discussion more actively to usher in a change in mindset.

“I think the most important thing is to get rid of our conditioning, even if you don’t do anything actively. But you can’t blame men as well, because they have been brought up and raised with this conditioning where a girl’s as well as a boy’s job is defined,” Madhavan shares, adding, “At that time, that was how the household was supposed to be. People didn’t think anything was wrong with it, and it was called a functional family. But then, there were things which were not right for the women.”

Last seen in the web series Decoupled, the actor asserts that strong women can change a lot of things for a household. And he cites his own family as an example. “In my house, we have very powerful women, including my mother and grandmother. They were matriarchs, and the men were happy letting them do what they wanted to do. And they were also happy about a woman taking care of them when they needed to be taken care of,” says the 51-year-old.

He goes on to assert, “Men need to understand that, however difficult it is for you to accept it, women are much stronger, physically and mentally, as you grow older.”

What makes him say that? “If you look at most households, you will realise that the grandmother is the last one left standing, compared to the grandfather. It’s a common thing in most homes... So, it will work well for men if they are able to invest in their future by being understanding to the ladies in their house,” concludes Madhavan.