New Delhi: Raised with the values of a middle-class boy and a Western-style education, Madhavan is one of those rare actors who gets involved with his characters without realising how tantalisingly close he is to them. Take Manu from 'Tanu Weds Manu', Farhan from '3 Idiots' or Maddy from 'Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein', Madhavan is a blend of Indian and Western, the old and the new.
While he is either foreign-returned or a working professional in most of his films, which may prompt others to wear that as a badge of honour, Madhavan plays them with endearing sincerity and unassuming charm. His concern is always to retain his middle-class traditions in the face of social and cultural upheaval and for the same reasons, he is uncompromising in his on-screen duties as either a son or a husband. He won't go against his family's wishes in Tanu Weds Manu and 3 Idiots nor would he buy a car, a symbol of wealth, in Mumbai Meri Jaan.
In the Tamil film, Alaipayuthey, his very first with Mani Ratnam, he arranges his parents to meet the family of his lover for marriage and only when they refuse does he embark on a clandestine romance.
"There's definitely a line running through my characters," admits Madhavan, "The biggest charm in any person is to be worldly-wise and at the same time, maintain their own individuality because of who they are. I find this overtly yo-films where you have to be an NRI and do this, 'Hey baby, how are you' kind of stuff very pretentious, because we are neither truly Indians nor Americans. I am my father's son and have led a modest life. For me, creating that blend is very important."
Knowing his limitations and the fact that he is not a heart-breakingly rakish looker, Madhavan does roles that suit him, rather than forcefully fitting into them. In an age when actors are obsessed with six-pack abs, he is cool about putting on and then shedding weight. "I can't gym for too long because of my knee problem but I try and be fit. In this profession, you have to look good," he smiles. Weight issues aside, he says he is not insecure about his co-stars, simply because he believes he has a highly personal approach to acting. For instance, 'Tanu Weds Manu' sees the heroine (Kangna Ranaut) in a far meatier role. "During the climax, the director was sceptical because the hero has nothing to do, but I did the film precisely for that reason. It takes a lot more confidence in yourself to be a non-hero and still convince people that you are capable of bigger things." Manu came across convincingly because, "I modelled him after Shri Ram, one of the most understated heroes of our culture. Even someone like my father who commands respect on account of his work."
So, what dictates his choice of films?
"I hear the narration like I would see the film in a theatre. The script should be idiot-proof which means it's fine if you don't get a good director, or if your co-stars are not as good as you think, but when the theatre lights go off and if the director narrates his script, it should appeal to the audience, despite all the factors that are or were going against the film."
His real, rooted characters have won the actor a legion of following, especially among women. Bipasha Basu, his co-star from Jodi Breakers, is on record to announce that Madhavan is a marriageable sort of a guy. Flushed, he responds, "When Bipasha says something like that, it comes as quite a pressure. My wife (Sarita) actually laughed at it and said, 'Yeah, stay with Madhavan for a day and you will know.' I am not an easy person to live with. She has to put up with a lot of nonsense."
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