‘I know that I could justify playing a common Indian’, says actor Madhavan

CHENNAI: R Madhavan’s Hisaab Barabar that was released on Zee5 a few hours ago is already one of the most-watched films on OTT this weekend. The actor plays the role of a railway ticket checker, Radhe Mohan Sharma and has pulled off the role with ease.

“The movie is about a common man being scammed and how they don’t even get the gist of what is happening around them. So, Radhe Mohan is a guy who understands the implications of the issue,” he says. The actor adds that he agreed to do the film because he could instantly relate to what director Ashwni Dhir narrated to him.

“I come from a normal, middle-class family, where my parents lead a simple life, who had aspirations like any other Indian parents—to see their children get married, have a peaceful retirement and to live with their children and grandchildren post their retirement. When this dream of a common man is shattered, like how several countries today are going through such an issue, people start taking things in their hands. In Hisaab Barabar, a common man’s authenticity is being questioned and he reaches a point where he cannot take it anymore,” he states.

Having followed Madhavan’s career since Alaipayuthey in 2000, each of his roles has a common man connected to it. From Run to Thambi to Vikram Vedha till the recently-released, The Railway Men and Shaitaan, all have a common man connect to each of his characters. He laughs, “Today’s common man of India is not your typical RK Lakshman’s cartoons from those days. Today’s Indian middle-class is highly empowered. We are the third biggest economy in the world, which means we are the third biggest nationality. Take a look at today’s leading politicians, decision makers in multinational companies, and leading tech giants, they are all the products of the Indian middle class. I am honoured in representing them and I know that indha maadhri roles enaala urupadi ah pannamudiyum nu (I know I can justify such roles).”

The audience have been talking about Madhavan’s nuances in playing a ticket examiner. Be it his physique or his interaction with the passengers, he has performed it like this is the role I have been waiting to do for years now. “You know, being a celebrity for two decades, the mentality of being a star somehow crawls into you slowly and the body language changes so much over a period of time. But when I listen to the role, I need to undo myself with being R Madhavan and understand the emotions that my character in the story goes through. Also, to play a ticket checker, I have to look the part and not look like how I did in Alaipayuthe or sport a muscled physique. If you liked me as a cop in Vikram Vedha, I have to make you forget by bettering myself as Nambi. If I scare you in Shaitaan, I should deliver a better performance in Hisaab Barabar,” he tells us.

While most of his contemporaries have shied away from doing a web series or releasing a film on OTT, Madhavan says that he needs to do whatever is best for the content. “It is necessary to understand the trend and also the scale of the film. There are people who told me why I am doing a web series. But I need to stay relevant. Also, the content decides where a film or a series should be released. Decoupled or The Railway Men or Maara even Hisaab Barabar are not made for large screen, where the hero fights 40 people and the audience applaud and whistle for it. A film like Vikram Vedha is not made for OTT. It was made for pure theatrical experience,” Madhavan clarifies.

On his upcoming projects, he says that Adhirshtasaali and Test have interesting content. “Announcement on these projects will be made in the first week of February,” he signs off.