- R Madhavan clarified he does not decide the release dates of his biopics like Dhurandhar and GDN
- He said social media criticism often comes from bots or paid accounts, which he can identify easily
- Madhavan supports political leaders in office and has never spoken negatively about any party publicly
In an interview with Galatta Plus, actor R Madhavan was asked about the successive release of films based on real-life characters such as Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, Dhurandhar (where he played Ajit Sanyal, a character modelled on National Security Advisor Ajit Doval) and now GDN.
The actor replied, "I don't decide the release date of these films. I have done four big films in between but there are delays because of various reasons and it looks like I'm only doing biopics. But that's not the reason."
The anchor then asked the actor about the polarised social media climate and how many people viewed Dhurandhar as a 'propaganda' film and pro-Indian government and people end up labelling those who act in these movies as 'Sanghis'.
Madhavan is asked how he reacts to such comments and filters out these accounts to find the authentic/ relevant posts. In his reply, the actor said, "It's very easy to find out when you check out the username, when they set up the account and how many followers they have. You can figure out if it is a bot or it's a paid post. But that's not my point. My point is that everybody is a product of their conditioning. Right from the time I was a child, I was taught that my country is most important and what we do for our country is important."
Madhavan said he has never spoken negatively about any political party, politician or political leader in his social media posts or his interviews.
"If someone does something good, like Stalin sir for instance, I praise them immediately. I have decided that I will do only good and if I have doubts about something, I won't talk about it. When an elected politician becomes a Prime Minister or a Chief Minister, I believe it is my duty to support them.
"Till date, no political party has asked me or hinted that I join them or do publicity for them at the state or national level. When I read such comments, I feel they are saying it out of some frustration but it doesn't affect my decision-making. If, for instance, a sportsman makes our country proud by winning and they say we should post about it, I think it feels right. If someone is feeling bad about that then I question their intent."
When asked that people on social media can put up any criticism like Dhurandhar is "propaganda" or Rocketry: The Nambi Effect showcased "too much Indian tradition and customs", Madhavan counter questioned: "How is it wrong to be an Indian? Why can't I show that I'm Indian? We are only showcasing what happened. I am not saying this as a political statement - basically, I don't understand this. In Dhurandhar, we have shown what happened in Pakistan - how is it propaganda? In Rocketry, we have shown what Nambi sir is and says in real life. We have not manufactured it. How can I be honest to the story when I feel afraid of who he really is. I have to be true to the character."
Madhavan will next be seen in GDN, based on the life of legendary engineer and philanthropist Gopalaswamy Doraiswamy Naidu, widely known as the "Edison of India". The film also starring Sathyaraj, Jayaram, Priyamani, Vinay Rai, Dushara Vijayan and Aditi Balan. It will hit the screens on Friday.
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