I’ve lusted for B-grade heroines: Madhavan

No cultivated humility. No baggage of being part of iconic hits in Bollywood. R Madhavan, who was in town recently, tells CT that he is upfront about turning down 38 of the 40 offers that come his way....

What does stardom do to a person? Does it change an actor’s gait? Does it make him more secure as an individual?

Or does it make him want to guard his vulnerability with as much passion as he exhibits with his craft that sends his fans into a tizzy, raising the bar of expectations to dizzying heights? And it just takes one answer from Madhavan, on his whirlwind trip to Kolkata on Tuesday post the success of 3 Idiots, to put all speculation to rest. Yes, he knows that 3I has literally exploded at the BO. And no, that hasn’t made him want to give up on the small pleasures of ordinary life.

As he settles down for an interview, he points at a half-eaten bhelpuri packet saying, “If I want to enjoy my normal life, I will. While coming down to the hotel, I stopped on the road and had bhelpuri. I know 3I was huge. But come to think of it, there have been so many occasions in life when I’ve felt that it can’t get better than this. Today, I realise that it’s important to stay connected to ordinary people without being blinded by the star entourage, which might often be caught in a time warp.”

One understands the need to be grounded but success does bring along a lot of responsibilities, especially concerning the choices of forthcoming films. So, how many scripts has he turned down post-3I? “Turning down scripts means disappointing those who want to work with you. I am very choosy and if I get 40 offers, I’ll perhaps refuse 38 of them. I don’t mince words when I don’t like a script. I just say sorry. I don’t keep people waiting by saying let me think about it. I remember refusing director Vikram Kumar eight times over a period of six years. Every time I refused, I’d say the script he had was not worthy of him. But finally, I did 13B with him and it was a hit! Post-3I, I feel people are afraid to approach me.”

So does he believe in the proverb that it’s lonely at the top though one eats better there? “I am not at the top yet. It’s difficult to have your cake and eat it too. Being an actor, I can’t even eat better if I’m at the top,” he humours, as he bites into an apple while continuing to talk about whether it’s easy or difficult to promote a film immediately after a huge hit. “Both the scripts of TP and Tanu Weds Manu were okayed much before 3 Idiots. I understand that none of these films might reach the level of 3I. For Aamir, his films might surpass 3I. But for us, things have to get a little downhill,” he says, while recollecting an incident with Sharman Joshi post-Rang De Basanti. “Sharman and I had a discussion about what happens after such a huge success. We realised that eventually we will give a dud at the box-office. But then, we also realised that life has its means of finding a way. Despite thinking that it can’t get better post-RDB, we did have a 3I. I believe one can hope for the best but can’t work towards it.”

And soon Maddy is talking about the disappointment of his Sunglass not having seen the light of day yet. “Every film has a time and moment. Sunglass too had its time. No actor will say this but it’s a fact that every actor knows how a film will fare the moment he sets his foot on the sets on the first day of shooting. Very seldom has a film where he has not had a great experience while shooting received a great response from the audience.” And yet, it’s a fact of life that during promotions, all actors worth their salt have to insist that shooting it was ‘one big picnic’.

Considering that he has played a student in 3I and a teacher in TP, what’s that skill that he thinks he needs to train in and what’s it that he has already learnt well enough to teach others? “I have always yearned for someone who could teach me to act. Thankfully, I didn’t have a teacher. I don’t know how to act and I don’t say it out of modesty. I am not remotely close to being a good actor. My USP is that I project myself as the role I’ve been given. It’s easy for comedians to mimic SRK and Amitabh. But I can’t be mimiced,” he says, adding, “Both in India and abroad, one becomes a star first and then an actor. Even Leonardo DiCaprio first became a star and then an actor. It’s important to sustain the longevity of one’s status as a star. So those like Aamir Khan and Kamal Haasan have evolved their own style of acting to ensure the longevity of their status as stars. Hopefully someday, I’ll have a style of my own. But right now, I still don’t and comedians down South complain that they can’t mimic me on their shows!”

As the conversation draws to an end, one wonders whether Madhavan, whose character in TP is forced to choose between love and lust, can make that distinction in real life. “Love is something that keeps us from doing what’ll hurt. Lust is more of an animal instinct but is not always negative. I’ve been lucky with love.” Apart from lusting for attention, has he lusted for other women too? “Before joining the film industry, I’ve lusted after B-grade heroines. Today, I’d love to lust for someone who is naturally attractive and not cosmetically made up.” And could he throw up some names in that case? As he takes a final bite into the apple, he says, “Oh! Jennifer Anniston. In India, there isn’t any star I can name whom I’d lust for. In my head, I’m trying to think of names but I just can’t. Guess, I’m a bit old-fashioned that way. If there was a younger Amala, Sridevi or a Juhi, I’d certainly lust for her.”