In an industry obsessed with youth and perfection, R Madhavan is choosing authenticity over aesthetics. In a recent interview with ETimes, the actor revealed that he doesn’t dye his hair unless a role requires it and has no intention of maintaining a “youthful” public image just for the sake of it.
“I am not good at carrying baggage, nor am I good at carrying lies,” Madhavan said, reflecting on how he’s approached ageing in the public eye. “Ab safed baal aa gaye toh aa gaye. I have never dyed my hair, unless it is required for a role.” He shared that this approach was inspired by none other than Rajinikanth and Ajith Kumar. According to Madhavan, “It was from Rajinikanth sir that I learned this. He doesn’t care about how he looks off-screen, but on-screen, he is magic. Just like my friend Ajith.”
The actor further explained that chasing youth is not something he subscribes to anymore. He said that he’s learned to be comfortable in his own skin and doesn’t see himself in competition with younger actors. “From my peers and seniors, I’ve learned that it really doesn’t matter what your off-screen image is,” Madhavan said. “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 with my own capacity to bring out the best in me. There’s an acceptance of who I am.”
Madhavan was last seen in Aap Jaisa Koi, a romantic drama released on Netflix, co-starring Fatima Sana Shaikh. The film resonated with audiences and added another heartfelt role to the actor’s diverse filmography. He is now gearing up for his next project, De De Pyaar De 2, a romantic comedy that reunites him with Ajay Devgn and Rakul Preet Singh. Directed by Anshul Sharma and written by Luv Ranjan and Tarun Jain, the film is slated to hit theatres on 14 November.
