With Dhurandhar The Revenge smashing box office records, following closely after its predecessor Dhurandhar (2025), the films have earned praise for their ensemble cast. Behind this casting is Mukesh Chhabra. The casting director of Aditya Dhar’s magnum opus gets talking on The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra. Excerpts:

Initially, only Ranveer Singh was on board. From there, the cast grew, starting with Akshaye Khanna as Rahman Dakait, followed by Arjun Rampal and R Madhavan. It’s very difficult to get a big star cast to do an ensemble film today. Sanjay Dutt bhai came on board almost immediately, and so did Madhavan. And that was, honestly, my favourite moment: on the first day, within just two hours, we had locked that casting. Altogether, the casting process for both films took nearly a year and a half.

Where was Maddy? That was the question buzzing on social media when Rang De Basanti marked 20 years with a special screening on February 6. As director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra reunited with cast members Aamir Khan, Soha Ali Khan, Siddharth, Sharman Joshi and Kunal Kapoor, among others, fans quickly noticed one familiar face missing from the frame.

Actor R Madhavan, who played the Air Force pilot in the film, cleared the air soon after, explaining that work commitments kept him away. He shares, “I was at a shoot abroad when the event took place, and couldn’t fly back in time. I really missed it and I wish I could have been there with all of them to celebrate this iconic film.”

The 55-year-old also reveals that the reunion was originally planned for January but had to be postponed following a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra on Jan 28, which killed all aboard, including then Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. “We didn’t want to celebrate at that time, naturally. It was a very very tragic, heartbreaking event,” he says.

Meanwhile, the film’s team arrived wearing hoodies featuring the film’s title, posing outside the theatre before heading in for the screening.

Beyond its mammoth box-office success, Dhurandhar has emerged as one of the most talked-about Hindi films in recent times. Everyone seems to have an opinion – some are raving about its craft and entertainment value and calling it a game-changer for Indian cinema, while others have divergent views about its political stance. In an in-depth conversation with us, R Madhavan, who plays Ajit Doval, India’s National Security Advisor, in the film, opens up about the film, his career choices and reinvention at 55.

Drawing a parallel with Hollywood, Madhavan explains, “America makes you believe that if there’s a problem anywhere in the world, only Americans can solve it. They’re always shown as having the answers, and that’s what turned Hollywood into a powerful form of soft power. Whether it’s an alien invasion or a global crisis, American films portray their people as powerful, intelligent and scientifically advanced. That’s why they command such a massive global following. In India, we have all of that too. Yet our stories have largely remained rooted in small towns and smaller mindsets. Dhurandhar shows what Indians are capable of when pushed to the edge; it all feels real.”

The actor clarifies that the film clearly states at the outset that it is a fictional account inspired by real events.

He explains, “Everything shown is rooted in reality. We have been attacked, we have been bombed, a plane was hijacked in Kandahar, and 26/11 happened. So, who are these assailants? If they are our enemies, what are we doing about them? Crime must have repercussions, not just headlines. There are people in this country protecting us without our knowledge. Someone, somewhere, is doing their job right.”

He adds, “If, as a nation, we fail to acknowledge those who safeguard our freedom – be it the administration or the judiciary – we miss the larger picture. Yes, we have shortcomings and issues, but we are still a functioning democracy. Disagreements are natural, but nothing comes before the nation, and not everything is politically aligned.”

From Alai Payuthey and Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein to Shaitaan and The Railway Men, R Madhavan’s filmography reflects a consistently diverse set of choices. At 55, with the burden of being a solo lead no longer defining his career, is he in a better creative space?

He believes so. “The reinvention is happening because I still feel I’m only at the threshold of giving the industry all that I’m capable of. I haven’t even scratched the surface when it comes to the characters I can play. The films lined up will show you the faith directors and storytellers have in me,” he says.

Madhavan also challenges the long-held notion that only solo leads work. He says, “We’re products of conditioning. The industry makes you believe that only solo leads succeed. But if you look at Hollywood – Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Jack Nicholson – they’ve all played parallel leads. My role in Shaitaan was a parallel lead. Some might call it a supporting role, but it wasn’t. In Rang De Basanti, I was on screen for barely nine minutes, yet it was one of the leads. In 3 Idiots, we were all leads.”

The actor points out that even in Tanu Weds Manu, the narrative demanded restraint. “It was Kangana’s character that was aggressive and required to take the lead. My job was to step back and let that happen. Similarly, in Dhurandhar, would you say Ranveer Singh isn’t the lead? If you look purely at screen time, he has the most. But the maturity to step back and allow another actor to carry the narrative – that’s what creates iconic films. Parallel leads are the way forward. Storytelling has evolved,” he shares.

Madhavan credits fellow actors for enabling such storytelling. He says, “I’m in awe of Ranveer Singh for allowing that space in Dhurandhar, and of Ajay Devgn for making it happen in Shaitaan. Take me out of Guru, and there’s no one to oppose Abhishek. True solo leads rarely work today. Films like KGF or Kantara are exceptions, not the rule.”

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While the actor had anticipated Dhurandhar’s massive success, Madhavan admits he didn’t fully foresee the intensity of the debates it would spark. “When I heard the narration, I knew immediately that the film would be a game-changer. I expected the discussion to focus more on a social discourse – on what India has become,” he says.

We may be days away from 2026, but Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani are going back in time to 2009. Recently, we reported that the actor-director duo is teaming up with original cast members Kareena Kapoor Khan, R Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi for a sequel to their classic 3 Idiots (The idiots are calling, Dec 4). And it looks like things are progressing swiftly. We’ve exclusively learnt that Hirani is planning to take the comedy by mid-2026.

An insider shared, “Work on the script is going on in full swing. The premise for the sequel has been cracked, and it’s a matter of a few months before the screenplay is developed. The sequel to 3 Idiots will go on floors around June-July.”

So, where does that leave Khan and Hirani’s biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke, regarded as the father of Indian cinema? While rumours earlier suggested that the film would roll in January 2026, the ambitious plan has now been kept for another day.

A source revealed, “The script needed more work, and both Raju and Aamir were clear that unless the script captured Dadasaheb’s life in all its glory, they wouldn’t take it on floors. They aren’t in a rush.” 

mid-day reached out to Hirani’s team, who didn’t respond till press time.

What’s not to love about styling five of Bollywood’s most good-looking men — Ranveer Singh, R Madhavan, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, and Sanjay Dutt? But with Dhurandhar, costume designer Smriti Chauhan had a bigger responsibility — to stay true to the world of Lyari, in which director Aditya Dhar’s spy actioner is set. The costume designer says that rigorous research by Dhar and Ojas Gautam, director’s assistant, preceded the styling.

“Aditya and his team couldn’t conduct field research because the world they created was Pakistan,” she begins. So, they settled for the next best thing. “They did deep research — mostly online, and referred to many books. For the underground parties of the Karachi underworld shown in the film, [we referred to the] raid videos online. Many are available on YouTube. YouTube and Getty videos were circulated among teams so that all departments could get as much information possible,” Chauhan recalls.

The director was certain of a few things that had to be depicted through outfits. Chauhan cites an example, “Lyari’s love for football had to be shown. So, Mukka, one of the gang members, is seen in football jerseys quite a few times.”

With the story set in Lyari, Chauhan says Pathanis dominated the style palette. “But each Pathani has different shoulder pleats, bottom cuts, and fits. Pairing them with waistcoats, jackets, shawls also helped in differentiating them.”

Hamza is spontaneous. So, I depicted that spontaneity in his silhouettes, like a sharply tailored kurta layered under a distressed jacket. The raw detailing reflects his volatile energy.

His character is inspired by Ajit Doval. Since Doval is usually seen in suits, we gave Madhavan variations of suits with breakdowns over time — broader cuts in the ’90s, then slimmer cuts.

We stayed true to the real-life figure’s white Pathani, unbuttoned cuffs, and gruff texture. His hair and beard styling reflect this as well.

His character is rugged and grunge, yet an ISI Army General. To reflect that, we fused military design with coarse, rugged fabrics, switching between safari suits and Pathanis, based on the scene in question.

Rahman is calm on the surface, but with depth like a still pond. I gave him darker colours like black and navy. They reflect his character’s gravitas.

De De Pyaar De 2’s successful run at the box office has brought much joy to Rakul Preet Singh. What has made her happier is that she held her own in the family entertainer opposite strong performers like Ajay Devgn and R Madhavan.

“I didn’t feel apprehensive when I was approached for the movie, even though Ajay and Madhavan are brilliant actors. There was never a fear of getting overshadowed as I have craved opportunities that put me in front of good actors. That enhances one’s abilities to perform. In fact, I was excited to work with them,” she smiles.

Director Anshul Sharma’s film follows the hilarity that ensues when Singh’s character brings home her much-older love interest, played by Devgn, to introduce to her parents. De De Pyaar De 2 is the latest addition to the many feel-good films that Singh has fronted in the last few years, including Mere Husband Ki Biwi and Thank God (2022). As much as she enjoys the girl-next-door roles, the actor is now keen to shift gears.

She shares, “I have always wanted to break the glamorous and girl-next-door image because I don’t want to be put in a box where people think I can only do mainstream cinema. I would love to experiment with different genres — romance, intense  roles, action movies, historical dramas, and biopics. I hope I get the opportunity to play different roles and go absolutely de-glam if I have to for a film.”

While ‘De De Pyaar De 2’ is Rakul Preet Singh’s first collaboration with R Madhavan, it marks her fourth outing with Ajay Devgn after ‘De De Pyaar De’ (2019), ‘Runway 34’ (2022), and ‘Thank God’ (2022).

It’s a year of firsts for Gulshan Devaiah. After making his Kannada film debut with Kantara: A Legend Chapter – 1, the actor is now foraying into the Tamil industry with Legacy. The Netflix series unites him with R Madhavan. “I felt weak in the knees every time I saw him,” quips Devaiah, referring to the actor’s aged look in the crime drama.

“He plays my father-in-law. There was something magnetic about that look. All the girls [on the set] were going gaga over him, and I said, ‘You have to go over my dead body. I’m getting to him first’,” he laughs.

Even as Kantara: A Legend Chapter – 1 has opened up opportunities for Devaiah, he doesn’t want to be impulsive in signing his next.

“The challenge is to see where I put my next step. The offers will keep coming; they did earlier too — from Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, some even from Malayalam and Bengali cinema.”

And there’s Hindi cinema, of course. His next Hindi project will be the second season of Dahaad (2023). Ask the actor for an update on the acclaimed series, and he teases, “I haven’t finished reading the script. I have it in my inbox.”

Veteran actor Satish Shah, beloved for his roles in Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (1983), Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984), Sarabhai vs Sarabhai and Main Hoon Na (2004), passed away at his Mumbai residence on Saturday. He was 74. An FTII graduate, Shah began with small yet striking roles in Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastaan (1978), Gaman (1979) and Umrao Jaan (1981), before becoming a cult favourite as the corrupt D’Mello in Kundan Shah’s Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro . From Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994) to Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Shah’s warmth and comic timing defined an era of Hindi cinema. Tributes have been pouring in from actors and contemporaries who worked with him, celebrating a performer who made laughter timeless.

Anupam Kher paid tribute to the late actor with an emotional video on Instagram. “What is happening? In the past 3-4 days so many good people have left, that too the ones that have worked with me. Behind this empty smile of mine is a lot of sadness. Satish Shah... I used to say Satish mere Shah (Satish, my king),” he said in the video.

“He was a great friend of mine, it is just shocking. I am revisiting Switzerland where we shot Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and I saw the news that Satish Shah is no more. He was in Dilwale and Hum Aapke Hain Koun and in so many more. He used to laugh and make us laugh,” he added.

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The heavens will be a merrier and a happier place now. Satish ji will make the Gods laugh out loud as they admire their own creation. Thank you for being such a solid wind beneath my wings early on in my career… for constantly believing in me and egging me on – R Madhavan, Shah’s co-star, in 1997 TV show Jamai Raja

We’ve lost a great artiste & my dearest friend of over 40 years. It’s hard to believe – I had spoken to him just two days ago. Satish Bhai, you will truly be missed. Your immense contribution to film and television will never be forgotten – Johny Lever

“Loving, full of life and playful just like his popular onscreen character of Indravadan Sarabhai” – that’s how the team of Sarabhai vs Sarabhai remembers Satish Shah, who played the witty patriarch of the South Mumbai family in the show that premiered in 2004.

Sumeet Raghvan said, “It is such a rude shock. He was in and out of hospital, he had kidney issues. He was a fabulous human being and an actor. We all have seen his great body of work. I’ve known him for the last 20 years, he was the real-life Indravadan Sarabhai, a prankster. I would be his partner in crime. Whenever we would chat, he would tell me, ‘Don’t let the child in you die or grow, keep the child alive’. He made sure the child in him was always alive.”

Rajesh Kumar, who portrayed the fan-favourite Rosesh, Indravadan’s younger son, said, “This is the worst hour for me. I still cannot process that Satish ji is no more. All I can say is that I feel I have lost my father. He was a man full of life and humour. He made his name and left a mark as an actor. This is a big, big loss to the industry and us, Sarabhai family.” ​

Shah’s co-star from Nehle Pe Dehla, Rajesh Puri, who shared a long friendship with Shah and also worked with him in multiple projects, said, “We worked together even before I did Hum Log , collaborating on several TV shows and films. I wonder what happened to him. Earlier, we used to meet a lot when we worked together. It is very unbearable at the moment.”

The veteran actor fondly recalled working with Shah on the show Nehle Pe Dehla (1999–2000), remembering how the late actor would often tease him, and make everyone laugh. “I will really miss him. It was just last week that I was thinking about catching up with him,” he added.

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The last rites of late actor Satish Shah were conducted in Mumbai on Sunday, a day after he died of renal failure at 74. Earlier, his mortal remains were kept at his residence in Bandra for antim darshan.

Several industry A-listers, friends, and colleagues got together to bid a final farewell to Shah, including Kunal Kohli, Jackie Shroff, Johnny Lever, Aanjjan Srivastav, Poonam Dhillon, Ali Asgar, Tiku Talsania, and Suresh Oberoi.

The cast and crew of his iconic sitcom Sarabhai vs Sarabhai were also present, including Ratna Pathak Shah, Rajesh Kumar, Rupali Ganguly, Sumeet Raghvan, Deven Bhojani, and JD Majethia were also present. Clips of them singing the show’s theme song at the cremation also surfaced on social media.

Kareena Kapoor Khan shared a still of Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, writing, “Rest in glory Satish Shah.”

R Madhavan shared an old photo featuring himself, Satish and Mandira Bedi from their get-together. The three had worked together in the sitcom Ghar Jamai.

Amitabh Bachchan wrote, “Another day another work another quiet... Another one of us passes away... Satish Shah, a young talent, and has left us at a very young age. And these times of the grim... it bodes not well to express in normalcy... but the show must go on... and so it does, as does life.” They starred together in the 2008 film Bhootnath.

Anupam Kher shared an emotional video for Satish after the actor’s “shocking” death. Writing in the caption “Satish mere Shah”, he said in the video, “Kya ho raha hai yeh? Teen-chaar din mein itne acche acche log chale gaye. Kya ho raha hai yeh?”

Sumeet Raghvan wrote, “As the show continues to grow, so does our bond. Whenever we met, we didn’t talk as Sumeet, Rupali or Rajesh. Then, were Sahil, Monisha, Rosesh, Dad, and Mom. That’s how we talk with each other. Today, the head of the Sarabhai family, our most senior member, has left us. Kaafi dinon se woh joojh rahe thhe. Finally, life can be very cruel.”

Farah Khan wrote on Instagram, “Rest in peace dearest, Satish. You were a joy to know and work with. Will miss you sending me memes and jokes every day.”

Johnny Lever said, “Feeling extremely sad to share that we’ve lost a great artist and my dearest friend of over 40 years. It’s hard to believe — I had spoken to him just two days ago.”

Rajesh Kumar reflects, “All I can say is that it feels like I have lost my father.. A man full of life and humour. Challenging everything. His name left his mark as an actor. This is a big, big loss to the industry and the (Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai’s family). Let’s pray for his departed soul and keep him in your prayers.”

Rakesh Bedi remembers Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi co-star: “I’ve known him since 1974, when we joined FTII. We’ve been classmates, flatmates, and have been friends for all these years. I never saw him sulking. He would always talk about things with so much passion and joy, especially his work. Even when he was unwell, the doctor would come, and he’d crack jokes with him. This was the beauty of that man.”

In an industry driven by vanity and youth, R Madhavan stands out for his honesty and quiet confidence. Whether it’s embracing his salt-and-pepper hair, stepping away from gym-culture aesthetics, or choosing roles that defy the norm, Madhavan remains unapologetically himself. In this candid conversation, he opens up about ageing gracefully, the joy of playing unexpected characters, and finding love in life’s simplest moments.

Madhavan, who is often referred to as Maddy by industry folks and fans, remains refreshingly real, sporting his grey strands with grace. “I am not good at carrying baggage, nor am I good at carrying lies. Ab safed baal aa gaye toh aa gaye. I have never dyed my hair, unless it is required for a role. I have learnt that from Rajinikanth sir. He doesn’t care about how he looks off screen, but on-screen, he is magic. Just like my friend Ajith (Kumar). I’ve learnt from my peers and seniors that it really doesn’t matter what your off-screen image is. I am very comfortable in my shoes, so I’m not going to project that I’m younger than anybody. I’m not competing with someone who’s younger than me. I’m competing with my own ability and my ability to bring out the best in me. There’s an acceptance of who I am.”

While actors across age groups are seen flaunting chiselled abs, Madhavan isn’t one who hits the gym and posts workout images on social media. “I did build up a certain kind of body for Saala Khadoos (2016), where I played a boxing coach, because it was required. If a script demands, I’m ready to do what it takes,” he says.

So, has he ever lost out on roles for not fitting the “alpha male” mould? “I wouldn’t know because probably such roles wouldn’t have come to me. They wouldn’t have probably imagined me playing an alpha male part with a six-pack. But I have done roles in movies where they didn’t expect me to say ‘yes’ and I have said yes and it has worked for me,” he adds.

Work aside, Madhavan’s personal life remains rooted. He’s been married to Sarita since 1999, years before he shot to fame. They met when he was teaching public speaking and she was one of his students. He shares, “We have our own set of challenges. But I think the respect and love that one has for each other helps you redefine love as you go along. Like, once your child is born, it’s a different sort of love. Once the child becomes a teenager, it’s a different sort of love. Twenty-five years does seem like a long time, and the relationship has gone through multiple metamorphoses. But even now, one of the best emotions for me is when we hold hands and walk quietly.”

Originally, Shriyam Bhagnani was meant to make her Bollywood debut with Sumo Didi, a biopic of female Sumo wrestler Hetal Dave. While it has yet to see the light of day, the actor made her maiden film appearance over the weekend with Aap Jaisa Koi, led by R Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh. It’s a joy to foray into Bollywood; the bigger joy, she says, is to do so with Madhavan, an actor she grew up admiring.

“I have been his fan [thanks to] 3 Idiots [2009], and recently, Shaitaan [2024]. His character in Shaitaan was intense. [When I met him], I told him I was scared of that character,” she laughs, before adding that the actor put her at ease with his warm nature. “In our first scene, I was so nervous that I referred to him as Madhavansh. He told me to relax, and we both laughed it off.” 

In the Netflix release, Bhagnani plays Nisha, Madhavan’s niece, a quietly rebellious character navigating a patriarchal set-up. She credits director Vivek Soni for helping her understand her part better. “Vivek sir is clear about what he wants. He’d let me perform the scene and then give his feedback.”

Having kickstarted her Bollywood career, she is hoping that Sumo Didi — which sees her as the lead and has been ready since 2023 — will reach the audience soon. She says, “The film is not stuck. Jio Studios trusted me with a biopic, and I trust them to release it at the right moment.”

Actors are often asked, “How do you know the pulse of the people?” While few have an answer to this, R Madhavan was refreshingly candid in his take on it. “By being alone with the people,” he tells us. With more than three decades in the entertainment industry, the actor has figured out how to make his complex on-screen characters relatable and true to the context. To ensure that he interacts with people from all walks of life, Madhavan doesn’t let his entourage tag along everywhere.

“I walk around as alone as possible. It keeps me in touch with common people. I want to know the price of lentils and potatoes from the local vegetable vendor. I want to sit with the tech geeks and learn about the next version of the AI. If I’m behaving like a star in front of them, those doors get closed quickly,” he explains.

He reveals that he learnt about black magic for Shaitaan (2024) and understood Indian aerospace scientist Nambi Narayanan for Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022) after a conversation with someone he met on a flight. “I never fear a good risk. Even if it goes wrong, at least you went down blazing. I’d rather go for glorious failure than compromised success any day.”

Despite his many years in the film industry, Madhavan has been selective with his work. He claims he would rather be remembered for a few good films than burden himself with repetitive roles.

“Early on in my career, when I heard people say that if it is an Aamir [Khan] film, the content is bound to be good — that’s something I was dying to have people say about my work. And I have tried to make those choices,” expresses the star.

He shares that 3 Idiots (2009) has reformed the thought process of an entire generation of parents, not just in India. “They come and tell me how it has changed their life,” he says, adding, “I try to not get stereotyped. The only sequel I’ve ever done is Tanu Weds Manu [2011] because the script was so justifiable. I haven’t had the luxury of doing a franchise film where I’m able to repeat the same characters because they worked. I would have loved to. So easy to just sit back and do five films like that till they fail and then do something else.”

After decades of doing romcoms, R Madhavan is now avoiding the genre because “nothing is age-appropriate”. While most romcoms these days are associated with teenagers, he believes that people between the ages of 45 and 55 are more romantic. He has wrapped up Aap Jaisa Koi, where he plays a 48-year-old unmarried man romancing Fatima Sana Shaikh’s 29-year-old character.

When asked about the gossip surrounding a Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein sequel, he says, “They ask me too. I haven’t found anything concrete to either do Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein 2 or Tanu Weds Manu 3. It’s all speculation.” He also has De De Pyaar De 2, Dhurandhar, a Tamil sci-fi film Bridge and a Tamil series titled Legacy.

Once in a while, actors come across scripts that they know will be a legacy film. To R Madhavan, that happened with director Karan Singh Tyagi’s Kesari Chapter 2. “It’s a film that will transcend time. Rang De Basanti [2006] was one of them, 3 Idiots [2009] too. You get the feeling in your bones. During 3 Idiots, I told Raju [Rajkumar Hirani] that he will have a tough time trying to beat this one. The same goes for Karan Singh Tyagi,” grins the actor.

In Kesari Chapter 2, the director offers a dramatized version of history with Akshay Kumar’s C Sankaran Nair fighting the British Raj’s attempt to underplay their role in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Madhavan plays Neville McKinley, the lawyer representing the Crown. His character may not be at the front and centre of the narrative, but fits perfectly with Madhavan’s pursuit of meaningful stories, regardless of his screen time.

He explains, “I want to be a pixel of a larger story. If the story works, all of us benefit. I don’t take my stardom seriously, which is why I do the kind of films I do. If I took it seriously, I’d want to know my screen [time], or who’s standing in front of me. You can ask any of my producers. I’ve never asked them, ‘What’s the size of my picture on the poster?’”

The senior actor walked into the period drama knowing that it was being made “for the right reasons”. His belief was further strengthened by Kumar’s involvement. He recalls, “Two weeks before the release, Akshay sir called me at 4 am. He said, ‘Our clash is going well, but in the end, my character wins fair and square. I don’t want you to be the guy who is forgotten.’ He wanted a closure scene. He flew down from Chennai, I did from Dubai. We shot it two weeks before the release. When people are going out of their way to do a job, you know it’s a special project.”

At this stage of his career, Madhavan’s attempt is to find movies with “soul”. “I’ve never seen the audience wait till the last credit rolls, [which happened here]. A film gets a destiny when the final edit is done. There could be a big film that doesn’t have a soul. At other times, it could be a small film done for the right reasons, and boom, it becomes a Tanu Weds Manu, or this.”

Milestones often bring moments of reflection. Naturally then, R Madhavan, who completes 25 years in the film industry, is looking back at his journey these days as much as he is looking forward to his 2025 slate that includes De De Pyaar De 2, Dhurandhar, and a romantic comedy with Fatima Sana Shaikh. Asked how he views his journey so far, the actor-director describes it succinctly in one word—“anomaly”.

“I have done everything that people said couldn’t be done,” he shares, recalling the time he was told he wouldn’t make it on the big screen due to his popularity on TV, thanks to Banegi Apni Baat and Saaya. 

“When I over-exposed myself by doing 1,800 episodes of a show, people said, ‘You’ll never become a film actor.’ I told them I didn’t want to be one. Then, I got a debut that big producers and directors can’t for their kids — a film with Mani Ratnam, A R Rahman and P C Sreeram [cinematographer],” says Madhavan of Alai Payuthey (2000) that launched him as a leading man in Tamil cinema.

Madhavan’s self-confessed anomalous ways showed up throughout his career. While the crossover of south Indian stars in Hindi films has surged only in the recent past, the actor explored Hindi movies in the early 2000s, beginning with Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein (2001).

“When they said I was a Tamil hero, that’s when I did Hindi films. And when they called me a Hindi hero, I did Tamil films,” he smiles.

You’ll see me a lot this year,” promises R Madhavan when we call him to speak about Hisaab Barabar. The ZEE5 thriller is his first project of what will be a busy year, with De De Pyaar De 2, a rom-com with Fatima Sana Shaikh, and Dhurandhar in the pipeline. Incidentally, each of his characters is different.

“I want to do roles that I can relate to. I’ve had such varied life experiences that I know how a railway man behaves, as well as how someone in Decoupled [2021] does. My wife says, ‘You’ve done a comedy in English, dramas in English and Tamil, and action. Why can’t you make up your mind about who you are?’ That’s exactly who I am, someone who can’t make up their mind,” he laughs.

What drew Madhavan to Hisaab Barabar, also starring Kirti Kulhari and Neil Nitin Mukesh, is the story’s relatability. Ashwini Dhir’s directorial venture revolves around how a ticket collector uncovers a bank scam.

“History has seen that the moment the regime starts derailing the common man’s life, [he will fight back]. This has been explored beautifully in the film,” shares the actor. 

After Hisaab Barabar, Madhavan will star alongside Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna and Arjun Rampal in Dhurandhar. The actor’s filmography is peppered with ensemble films despite the industry’s perception that they pose a risk to one’s stardom. Mention this, and he simply says,

“Imagine all the ensemble films that I’ve done. Now, imagine me not doing a Rang De Basanti [2006], or 3 Idiots [2009] or Vikram Vedha [2017]. Whose loss would it have been? Even though my role in Rang De Basanti was only for nine minutes, being part of such projects adds to my immortality as an actor. In 3 Idiots, I was playing second fiddle to Aamir Khan. But it didn’t upset my stardom in Tamil [cinema]. These are barriers that people in the industry draw around themselves to protect their own insecurities. I don’t have such insecurity.”

Madhavan recalls being advised against being a part of Anbe Sivam (2002) with Kamal Haasan. “Everyone said, ‘He is not known to share credit.’ But he bent over backwards to make sure that I got the role of a lifetime,” he recounts.

For years, after 3 Idiots was released, Rajkumar Hirani would bump into people at various places, and somebody would come up and say, ‘I studied medicine, but I’ve quit and am now learning music.’ Someone else said, ‘I’m becoming a writer.’ That even sometimes would scare him and he would think - ‘I hope they succeed. Otherwise, they’ll come knocking on my door one day saying, 'You taught us the wrong things'.

Rajkumar Hirani, however, admits that the film gave a lot of people the courage to pursue what they wanted to do. He says, "I always tell people there’s a difference between passion and obsession. Sometimes people feel passionate about becoming something - like a music director or an actor - and they think, ‘This is my passion.’ But passion alone isn’t enough. I keep telling them, passion is just a desire to be someone. Obsession is what matters. Are you putting in the effort every single day to hone your skill and craft? If you’re obsessed - if you’re getting up every morning and working towards your goal - then pursue it. That’s when you’ll succeed. Passion without effort won’t take you anywhere."

Rajkumar Hirani says that 3 Idiots is one classic example of a problem that exists in every household. There’s always a rift between parents and children about education. The resonance of this issue is very strong, and every household needs a solution to it. He feels that’s why the film resonated so well with people.

He explains, "Most parents could see, ‘Haan yaar, maybe we’re pushing our kids too much.’A lot of parents used to come to me and admit, ‘Maybe we’re pushing our children too much, and we shouldn’t.’"

3 Idiots origin story is somewhere in Rajkumar Hirani's own life. He says, "When I look back at my own life - when I was in school - I think I was a very, very average student, struggling. Kahan yaar, yeh mujhe trigonometry samjha rahe hain, mujhe samajh nahi aata. Kuch nahi samajh aata tha! I was very average, and then I went to college. I wanted to get into an engineering college, but that never happened. I couldn’t secure admission anywhere. So, I ended up studying commerce. But commerce didn’t interest me. Education, in general, was never interesting for me, you know. Commerce college was just 3-4 hours in the morning, which gave me a lot of time to do theater. I started doing plays - directing, acting, writing - and that gave me immense joy. I realized I was spending hours doing that every day. My dad noticed it too, and he said, 'You know what? This is what you really love. Go do this'. This was a very difficult thing for a parent to say back then, especially in a small town like Nagpur, in a conventional, middle-class family. For him to say, 'Okay, leave my business' - my dad used to sell typewriters - and encourage me to pursue cinema, was unheard of at the time. But he guided me. He said, 'Go to film school. That’s where you can learn. Learn the craft'.”

When he got into the film institute, everything changed for him. He started getting scholarships and excelling at every level because he was enjoying what I was doing. He says, "That’s what we try to convey in the film: don’t push kids to do what they don’t want to do. If you chase something you truly enjoy, you’ll naturally excel at it. And if you excel at it, you’ll succeed. Rather than saying, 'Let’s do an MBA' or 'Let’s do finance because it pays well', but not enjoying it, you won’t excel, and success won’t come. That’s where the idea came from. We ended up coining the phrase - Chase excellence, and success will follow. Don’t chase money, because success doesn’t work like that. The process of writing is a long journey. You spend so much time thinking about the subject, reading about it. These ideas start forming in your head. You think, 'Okay, let’s say this', or 'Let’s put it this way'. It’s a journey where you create all these things."

The character of the professor in 3 Idiots is one of the most memorable characters. But when it was offered to Boman Irani, he didn’t want to take on the role as he had already played the Dean in Munnabhai MBBS.

Hirani recalls, “He said it’ll look like the same. I said, but let’s do it differently. Physicality also will change. I said that you’re bald in that; we’ll give you curly hair in 3 Idiots. You didn’t have a mustache; we’ll give you a mustache. Let’s change your physicality first and do it differently. Boman really worked hard to create the character."

Then Boman thought of some school teacher he used to have who used to dress up in a particular way. So, Boman went and designed his own clothes for the character. He went to a tailor in Dadar and remembered how his professor used to wear his pants up to the chest. He also added a lisp to his character. He had certain people in his mind - his professor, some other people - their mannerisms, the way they walked, and everything.

The three actors who played the 3 Idiots were not Raju Hirani's first choice at all. The first set of people were actually much younger and were all new actors at the time. They had selected three actors and auditioned them separately. But somehow, when they were put together, they were not gelling well. There’s a certain chemistry between people, and somehow that wasn’t happening.

Hirani recalls, "And during that time, I remember Vinod (VVC, the producer of the film) had offered a film to Aamir. And Aamir asked him about the film he was doing. While Vidhu Vinod Chopra told him that the film is not good for Aamir as it was a much younger role, Aamir said, ‘Let me hear the script.’"

Rajkumar Hirani recalls, "So I remember going to Aamir's house, and I read the script to him. His first concern was also, ‘How will I look young? It’s a good script, but how will I look young?’ But somehow, when I met him, I felt Aamir has a very innocent, childlike face. I said, ‘If you can lose all this muscle’ - at that time, he was playing Ghajini and was very broad - ‘then you can look like that.’ We just took a chance. We took a leap of faith. He said, ‘Okay, I'll lose it.’ He lost all the weight and muscle and transformed himself. Then one trick we played was that we decided to cast the other actors a little older. You can’t have Aamir alongside someone who’s nearly 17. So, there’s a kind of suspension of belief that happens. Once you get into the story, you don’t really realize it. With Aamir and all these experienced actors coming in, it became a little easier. It’s always easier to work with experienced people than with newcomers."

Rajkumar Hirani says, "If you look at older films, they often wallow in self-pity. Gaane bhi waise hi hote thay - bahut saare self-pity wale. Usmein hota tha - baap khaas raha hai, maa kitchen mein rehti hai, aur behen ki shaadi nahi ho rahi. It was kind of a spoof on that - ki iska ghar humein black and white filmon ki yaad dilata tha. What we didn’t realize was that it might come across as a little dark, and some people might not like it. I still remember someone walking up to me and saying, 'Aap hamara mazak uda rahe ho'. That’s when it struck me. I said, 'I had never seen it like that', but yes, it could be sensitive to some. The idea was just to add a little dark humour about how Indian cinema was portrayed back then."

"Cinema is a reflection of its time. For example, 1947 ke baad unemployment tha - lead hero unemployed hota tha, gareebi hoti thi, khana nahi hota tha. Then times changed - gold smuggling became a theme. Later, underworld dons entered storylines. Over decades, storylines have evolved."

Talking about the Delhi to Ladakh journey, he says, "It's always the script that drives everything. As I said, I love Delhi in terms of its locations and interesting things, so we wanted to set it in Delhi. From Delhi, we wanted to show a journey where they’ve lost a friend and have to find him. First of all, it felt like, where would a person like Rancho go? He would go to a serene place, cut off from the world, because he went to college just for knowledge, not for degrees. He was there under someone else's name, so he would hide away and do his business quietly - do his research, become a scientist, and run a school. That place seemed like Ladakh. At one point, we had considered a location in Sikkim. We even scouted it. But setting it in Sikkim made the journey from Delhi too long. We would have had to set up the film in Calcutta, and Delhi felt right. So, we took this route: they would start from Delhi, go to Shimla (where he used to work), meet Jaaved Jaaferi’s character in Shimla, and then continue to Ladakh. That seemed like an obvious route to take."

Abhijat used to live in the US, and Rajkumar would go there to write with him. One day, they bumped into a person there who constantly talked about new brands.

He recalls, "Abhijat and I are quite uninterested in the way we dress. Abhijat even had a really old car. This man looked at us and said, 'Aap log aise rehte ho? Kuch brands pehna karo'. He even talked about starter brands. We still laugh about it. He said, "I’ll introduce you to some starter brands'. I asked, 'Yeh starter brands kya hote hain?' Abhijat and I believe that we have one life, so we should make great films, travel, and do what we love. He gave an amazing line - 'You have one life; live it up - try all brands'. That night, we laughed so much, and I decided Kareena’s boyfriend’s character should be the total opposite of Aamir’s Rancho. Rancho doesn’t believe in materialism, so we created a contrasting character whose entire life revolves around brands and prices."

Hirani recalls that hum science se hai scene had 32 takes. He says, "I remember a funny incident, and while we were shooting that scene, Aamir would always laugh during the narrations. Every time we reached the line, 'Hum science ki taraf se hain', he would crack up. On the shoot day, it took 35 takes because after every take, Aamir would laugh, then Madhavan would laugh, and then Sharman would laugh."

--Ranchhoddas Shamaldas Chanchad - Rancho, whose real name was Phunsukh Wangdu - is quite an unusual name. How did they come up with this? He says, "We always wanted to create quirky names so the characters would be remembered, rather than giving them very standard names. It was Abhijat Joshi who came up with this name."

There is a new romance brewing in the city, albeit for the cameras. Only last month, it was reported that R Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh were set to team up for a love story. Now, mid-day has learnt that the project has gone on floors. So, what is the actors’ maiden collaboration all about? From what we’ve heard, it’s a May-December romance of sorts, with Madhavan’s character coming across a younger woman on a dating app. Sources tell us that it is tentatively titled Tharki.

Director Vivek Soni, who previously helmed Sanya Malhotra and Abhimanyu Dassani-starrer Meenakshi Sundareshwar (2021), is offering a light-hearted take on the unusual love story.

An insider reveals, “Madhavan plays a virgin, who is in his mid-40s. He comes across Fatima’s character, a woman in her early 30s, on a dating app, and how the two fall in love forms the crux of the story. It’s a quirky and contemporary take on the relationship.”

The cast includes Namit Das, who plays the protagonist’s close friend, and Karan Wahi in a special appearance. While the film rolled in Mumbai in early November, the unit’s next stop will be Kolkata in December. The OTT film, produced by Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Entertainment, will find a home on Netflix. 

Tharki marks Madhavan’s return to the rom-com genre almost a decade after Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015). “Madhavan’s fans in the Hindi audience have always enjoyed his romantic comedies, be it the Tanu Weds Manu franchise or Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein [2001] that found a wide fan base over the decades. Tharki will be the perfect payoff for them, after his intense portrayals in Shaitaan and Rocketry: The Nambi Effect [2022]. In fact, he will also be seen in another romantic comedy, De De Pyaar De 2, but the love story won’t be centred on his character,” adds the source.

Shaikh, meanwhile, also has Anurag Basu’s Metro...In Dino in the pipeline.

While the release of her directorial film Emergency has been deferred, Kangana Ranaut has already moved on to her next project—a psychological thriller. This yet-untitled movie with R Madhavan reunites them after nine years since their hit film Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015). The film, which began shooting in Chennai last year, will resume filming this month. Ranaut had paused work to focus on directing Emergency, while Madhavan worked on Shaitaan, also starring Ajay Devgn. 

This pan-Indian film will be shot in both Tamil and Hindi. Although she remains tight-lipped about the details, Ranaut admits that the contemporary thriller is “unconventional in the performances, treatment, and style.” Directed by A L Vijay, the film’s music is composed by G V Prakash Kumar, with cinematography by Nirav Shah.

After Emergency, Ranaut plans to take a break from directing and concentrate on her acting projects. “The film industry is going through a big crisis, and many films are not getting the budgets they require. It is an intense job. I will take some time to come out and recover from that. But I have a lot of acting jobs,” explains the actor, who has Manoj Tapadia’s Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata and the mythological drama, Sita: The Incarnation, in the pipeline.

“Let’s see when Sita happens. I believe that everything has its own journey. I just want to go with the flow. I am at that place where I don’t want to prove anything to anybody.”

K V Vijayendra Prasad, who wrote the script for Sita: The Incarnation, was among the first to watch Emergency. Ranaut reveals that the writer became emotional after viewing the historical drama. She shares, “This film happened because of him. He helped me in writing [Emergency]. K V Vijayendra is my guru. When I wrote the screenplay, I got stuck in many places, as the film is layered. He helped me with my writer’s blocks. The first frame of Emergency offers a special gratitude to him.”

She also mentions that the film has taken a financial toll on her. Reports suggest that she sold her Mumbai bungalow for R32 crore due to the financial strain caused by the delay in Emergency. “I wanted to make a sincere film. It is more our history than a biopic. Emergency is a political thriller about what happened in 1975,” she smiles.

He is a man of many talents. From being an author to a screenplay writer, from a producer to an actor, Mushtaq Shiekh has tried his hand at many things. Now, the writer is set to see his first fiction book, Secrets Within, published last month, adapted into a theatrical film.

“The narrative has visual richness, dramatic twists, and is intensely emotional. It will translate the essence of suspense and psychological drama of the novel well onto the big screen,” says Shiekh, who has previously written the script for Om Shanti Om (2007) and Ra.One (2011).

While he refuses to divulge details about the film, Shiekh shares that he is penning three more books to be adapted as films. “The initial talks with a studio have gone well,” says the writer. “Secrets Within will be made as a franchise. I have three more books planned for it. The name [of the studio] will be kept under wraps until all the semantics are taken care of,” he adds.

Secrets Within revolves around an architect who gets a contract of a lifetime, but taking it could either make or break his career. “The character of Aakash [the architect] transcends any specific industry. His journey is about personal growth amid the moral dilemmas he faces. His encounter with Maya—a woman with a shadowy past—[takes him] through layers of deception. As the story unravels, the characters confront their desires, betrayals, and the harsh consequences of their choices. The concept of wearing masks to maintain the façade of society sparked the creation of Secrets Within,” explains Shiekh, who hopes to rope in Akshay Kumar, Tabu, and R Madhavan for the lead roles in the film.

“The ability to blend charm with complexity makes Akshay the perfect choice to navigate Aakash’s layered personality. Tabu’s intensity and prowess in portraying strong and mysterious women will breathe life into Maya’s enigmatic character, and R Madhavan’s versatility can bring out Mr Khanna’s power and vulnerability,” shares the writer.