Madhavan

Introduction

Madhavan Balaji Ranganathan, better known as R. Madhavan or Madhavan, is a Tamil and Hindi cinema actor, writer, television personality, and film producer.

He has received several awards over his career, including one National Film Award, four Filmfare prizes South, and one Tamil Nadu State Film Award. He is the current President of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune.

Early Life and Education

Ranganathan Madhavan was born on June 1, 1970, in Jamshedpur, Bihar (now Jharkhand), India, to a Tamil Brahmin couple, Ranganathan Iyengar and Saroja. His father was a management executive at Tata Steel, and his mother was a manager at the Bank of India. He has a younger sister, Devika, who is a software engineer. He was raised by Tamil-speaking parents in Jharkhand and learned the language. He did his schooling from DBMS English School in Jamshedpur itself.

He was awarded a scholarship from Rajaram College in Kolhapur in 1988 in order to serve as a cultural ambassador for India, and as a participant in a Rotary International exchange program, he lived in Stettler, Alberta, Canada, for a year. He returned to Kolhapur to complete his higher studies and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronics. He became actively involved in extra-curricular military training during his undergraduate years. He became known as one of the top NCC (National Cadet Corps) cadets in Maharashtra at the age of 22, which enabled him to travel to England with seven other NCC cadets. He received training from the British Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force, all of which he had considered joining at one point as a result of this opportunity. He did, however, miss the age cut-off by six months and was thus unable to enroll in the program.

After losing the position, he started teaching classes on public speaking and personality development skills in Kolhapur, and the satisfaction he gained from teaching led him to pursue a post-graduate degree in public speaking at Kishinchand Chellaram College in Mumbai. He also won the Indian Public Speaking Championship during this time and moved on to represent India at the Young Businessmen Conference in Tokyo, Japan, in 1992. When he was in Mumbai, he decided to create a portfolio and submit it to a modeling agency with the aim of earning enough money to open an office.

Personal Life

After obtaining his degree, he went on to teach communication and public speaking at workshops throughout India. He met his wife Sarita Birje for the first time in 1991 at the Maharashtra workshop, which she planned to attend on the recommendation of her relatives. Sarita was able to use the skills she learned in Madhavan's seminars to clear an interview to become an air hostess, and the pair began dating after finishing the course. They got married in 1999 before Madhavan made his mainstream film debut.

Sarita has worked as a costume designer in a few of Madhavan's films, most notably Guru En Aalu, released in 2009, during which she teamed with Erum Ali, Madhavan's co-star Abbas's wife, on choosing costumes for their respective partners. The couple have a son named Vedaant. He was born on August 21, 2005, which caused the family to migrate from Kilpauk to Chennai's boat club neighborhood, where Madhavan's parents and in-law lived.

Madhavan enjoys golf and has participated in a celebrity charity tournament in 2007 alongside celebrities, including Amitabh Bachchan and Mani Ratnam. He won the qualifying round of the Mercedes Trophy golf tournament in Mumbai in 2017 and went to the National Finals. He also represented Chennai Rhinos against Karnataka Bulldozers in the 2011 Celebrity Cricket League. His experiences with the National Cadet Corps flying Cessna planes produced an interest in aero-modeling, which he claims "justified his decision" to pursue a degree in electronics.

Madhavan's son, Vedaant, is a professional swimmer who won a silver medal for India at the Danish Open Swimming Meet.

His Physical Appearance

Madhavan stands 5 feet 10 and a half inches tall.

Career

Early Work (1993 to 1998)

Madhavan was scouted by a television executive while he was walking in Lokhandwala, Mumbai, before beginning his film career, and was recruited to appear in Hindi television serials that started with Yule Love Story (1993). He starred in Zee TV's Banegi Apni Baat (1993) and Ghar Jamai, and he rose to fame for his portrayal as Shekhar in Saaya. He went on to play Lt. Shammi in Aarohan (The Ascent), a ship's commander in Sea Hawks, a criminal in Yeh Kahan Aa Gaye Hum, and a TV anchor in Tol Mol Ke Bol, among other roles. Madhavan portrayed an actor in the television series A Mouthful of Sky in 1995.

He also appeared in the episode Virasat of the Hindi horror television show Aahat. His feature film début was in the 1996 film Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin, in which he played a singer in a pub. Madhavan made an appearance in a sandalwood talc commercial directed by Santosh Sivan in early 1996, and he was then recommended to Mani Ratnam for a role in Iruvar (1997). Madhavan auditioned for the lead part of Tamizhselvan alongside several other well-known actors. Still, Mani Ratnam eventually dropped him from the project, mentioning that his "eyes appeared too young" for an aged character.

Madhavan appeared as an Indian police officer in Fred Olen Ray's English-language film Inferno, which was shot in India in 1997. Shanti Shanti Shanti (1998), a Kannada film in which he portrayed a carefree youth alongside actor Abbas, was his first break in the Indian film industry. However, the film failed to make an impression and continued to be ignored at the box office. Vinod Pandey, a Hindi film director, launched Madhavan as a Bollywood hero with the film Akeli, but the project was canceled before it could be completed.

Breakthrough (1999 to 2001)

Mani Ratnam, a well-known Indian director, cast Madhavan in the lead role of his Tamil love drama Alaipayuthey (2000) in 1999, and the film's quick commercial and economic success proved to be an important turning point for Madhavan. Madhavan said that he learned the technical parts of filmmaking from the director and memorized the entire script, whether or not he was in the scene. He was the very first new actor to be cast in the lead role of a Mani Ratnam film, and he stated that when he found out he would be working with the director, he felt a "mixture of excitement, wonder, fear, and ambition."

After the success of his first Tamil film, the directors of Madhavan's earlier Kannada film, Shanti Shanti Shanti, dubbed the film into Tamil and released it as Relax to make the most of his recently established popularity.

Minnale, Madhavan's first release of 2001, was directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon and was a critical and commercial success. Minnale, which was released as a Valentine's Day release and had popular music by Harris Jayaraj, secured the actor's status as a romantic hero and was later described as a Tamil cinema industry classic love picture. He then collaborated with Mani Ratnam for the second time, co-starring with Jyothika in the romantic comedy Dumm Dumm Dumm (2001), which was produced by the director. The film, in which Madhavan played an unhappy man wanting to postpone his wedding, received positive reviews and became a commercial success, cementing Madhavan's reputation as a profitable actor in South India.

Parthale Paravasam (2001), the hundredth film of legendary filmmaker K. Balachander, featured Madhavan for the role of a husband in an unstable marriage. Despite a diverse cast and a high level of excitement prior to its release, the film underperformed at the box office. Similarly, Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein (2001), a remake of his Minnale in which he portrayed the same role, was a box office disappointment, with both the film and Madhavan's performance receiving mixed reviews. However, the film gradually gained popularity through television broadcasts and developed a sort of fan club among young people.

Critical Acclaim (2002 to 2004)

Madhavan made his film debut in 2002 as a novelist in Mani Ratnam's Kannathil Muthamittal with actresses Keerthana, Simran, and Nandita Das. He played the father of an adopted child who wishes to return to her birthplace during the Sri Lankan civil war in the film. The film received great reviews from reviewers and went on to win six national awards as well as more than ten awards at various international film festivals. Madhavan received great appreciation for his performance, with one critic claiming that "he lives the role of the character that he depicts," with the film witnessing him move away from the romantic hero image and into something more serious, performance-oriented role for the first time. The international popularity of the movie also helped him build a worldwide audience for his films. Madhavan's next achievement was Run, a film known for its storyline, in which he appeared in an action film for the first time in his career.

Anbe Sivam (2003), in which Madhavan co-starred with Kamal Haasan, depicted the story of two men who are opposites in nature going on an unexpected journey from Bhubaneswar to Chennai. Madhavan expressed his happiness at working with an experienced actor such as Kamal Haasan. He stated that a human drama film such as Anbe Sivam was crucial for his acting career because it came after a popular masala film in Run. He also portrayed a young cricket player in Vikraman's family drama Priyamana Thozhi in 2003. Additionally, he played a teacher in jail in Saran's romantic comedy Jay Jay and a jailed teacher in Priyadarshan's Lesa Lesa. The three films performed decently at the box office, but reviewers praised Madhavan's performances.

Madhavan first appeared as a duplicate gangster in K. S. Ravikumar's comedy Aethiree (2004) and later joined Suriya, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, Esha Deol, and Trisha in his fourth Mani Ratnam film, Aaytha Ezhuthu (2004).

Madhavan completed his work on Rajiv Anchal's English-Malayalam crossover film Nothing But Life (2005) in a single session throughout Las Vegas and Albuquerque in late 2004. The film and its portrayal of an orphaned adolescent with suicidal tendencies being treated by a Malayali psychiatrist in the United States received mixed reviews.

Increased Work in Hindi films (2005 to 2008)

Madhavan and Sadha co-starred as a separated husband and wife in another marriage drama film, Priyasakhi (2005). The performances of the lead couple were praised, with Madhavan referred to as "top class," and the film became the first Tamil film to be dubbed.

Madhavan expanded his career in Hindi films beginning in 2005, after he appeared in and composed the Hindi language for the comedy Ramji Londonwaley (2005), a remake of his earlier film Nala Damayanthi. He obtained his first box office success in the Hindi film industry with his role in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Rang De Basanti (2006).

He was part of a huge cast led by Aamir Khan as Ajay Singh Rathod, a flying lieutenant whose death starts a revolutionary anti-corruption campaign.

Madhavan then collaborated with Mani Ratnam for the sixth time in the biopic Guru (2007) alongside Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, and Vidya Balan. His role as Shyam Saxena was influenced by the biography of real-life writer S. Gurumurthy, who was an opponent of business tycoon Dhirubhai Ambani, who was portrayed by Bachchan.

He next appeared in Thambi (2006), a Tamil film directed by Seeman, which was postponed in release but did well in urban and village centers. Later, he appeared as a medical student in Sundar C's comedy film Rendu (2006), in which he played dual roles for the first time, and in the long-delayed romantic comedy Aarya (2007). Madhavan wrote the dialogues, produced, and starred in Nishikanth Kamat's Evano Oruvan (2007) as a middle-class bank employee who becomes disappointed with the misconduct that he observes on a daily basis and becomes a criminal.

The documentary drama Mumbai Meri Jaan, inspired by the 2006 Mumbai bombings, was Madhavan's final film of the year. He appeared in the film alongside Soha Ali Khan, Irrfan Khan, and Kay Kay Menon. Reviewers praised Madhavan's portrayal of a man suffering from PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).

Additional Success and a Break from Work (2009 to 2015)

Madhavan received positive feedback for his role as the hero in Vikram Kumar's horror film Yavarum Nalam (2009). His next movies, the romantic comedy Guru En Aalu (2009) and the action movie Sikandar (2009), both received mixed reviews.

He then appeared in Rajkumar Hirani's comedy 3 Idiots (2009) alongside Aamir Khan and Sharman Joshi. The film received widespread praise from critics on its debut in theaters and became the highest-grossing Indian film of all time.

Madhavan's performance was regarded as "excellent" in Teen Patti (2010), in which he co-starred with Amitabh Bachchan and Ben Kingsley, although the film underperformed at the box office.

Madhavan then played a wealthy businessman who hires a spy to follow his actress fiancée on a European cruise holiday in Manmadan Ambu (2010), a romantic comedy co-written by Kamal Haasan and K. S. Ravikumar.

Tanu Weds Manu, a romantic comedy-drama in which he co-starred with Kangana Ranaut as an intelligent doctor wishing for an arranged marriage with a lady with a dramatically different personality, was his only release in 2011. Madhavan then played a police officer in Linguswamy's Tamil action comedy Vettai (2012) alongside Arya, Amala Paul, and Sameera Reddy. He then starred in the 2012 Hindi romantic comedy Jodi Breakers, which was shot in Greece and starred Bipasha Basu. However, the movie's box office performance was not great.

Madhavan took a vacation to Chicago in 2012 to rest his knee, which was injured while filming Vettai, which led to chondromalacia patellae. He made the decision to focus on one project at a time during this period because he felt the need to "reinvent himself" and concentrate on films that would appeal to a "new generation of audiences." His long-awaited Hindi feature Taak Jhaank, directed by Rituparno Ghosh in 2006, premiered at the 19th Kolkata International Feature Festival in 2013, after a three-year absence from theatrical releases, and his first Hindi film Akeli, shot in 1997, was released online the following year.

During his recovery and break in 2013, Madhavan agreed to appear in Simon West's Night of the Living Dead: Darkest Dawn as a former marine, which was shot in California. The computer-animated film made its San Diego premiere in July 2015, with vocals by Madhavan.

Tanu Weds Manu Returns, a sequel to the 2011 film, was Madhavan's first theatrical release after his May 2015 break.

Revival (2016 to 2017)

Madhavan also worked hard on the initial development of Sudha Kongara's bilingual sports film, Irudhi Suttru (2016), during his break. He went through a body training routine and learned boxing before attending the Los Angeles film set to play the character of a former boxer. Madhavan wore metal braces inside his teeth for dubbing reasons to mimic the lips that most boxers have because of athletic injuries.

The action thriller Vikram Vedha (2017), which was produced and directed by Sashikanth and Pushkar-Gayathri, was his next film. The script was written by Pushkar-Gayathri, and it narrates the story of an encounter cop and his search for a gangster, played by Vijay Sethupathi.

Recent Work and Prospective Projects (2018 to the Present)

Madhavan then worked on the Amazon web series Breathe, which premiered in January 2018. Savyasachi (2018) was his debut complete Telugu film role, in which he played a villain in a cast led by Naga Chaitanya.

He appeared in a significant role in the Hindi film Zero (2018), which featured Shahrukh Khan and Anushka Sharma. He was then featured in the bilingual thriller film Nishabdham, which was entirely shot in Seattle. The film started silent, but the producers decided to add dialogue and create Tamil and Telugu versions. He played the lead role in Maara (2021) and received positive feedback for his portrayal as a migrant artist from Kochi.

Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022), a biographical film on Indian rocket scientist Nambi Narayanan, was Madhavan's first film as a filmmaker. It was completed between 2017 and 2022. He was also one of the project's producers, in addition to his directorial, screenwriting, and acting credits. During the pre-production period, Madhavan referred to the project as his "biggest film ever" and said that he had been working on the script secretly for two years after getting fascinated by Narayanan's fake spying accusation. He met with Narayanan on a regular basis to discuss the scientist's life experiences in order to develop the script.

As a result of their discussions, Madhavan rewrote his initial script to include facts about Narayanan's entire career and contributions to the Indian space program rather than just the spying allegation and his 1994 imprisonment. The next year, Madhavan received several awards, including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film as Director, the IIFA Award for Best Director, and the SIIMA. Critics Award for Best Actor.

Madhavan is currently working on a number of projects. He is set to appear in two Mediaone Global Entertainment films: a family-focused drama directed by Mithran R. Jawahar and a biopic directed by Krishnakumar Ramakumar on Indian engineer Gopalswamy Doraiswamy Naidu. Madhavan has also appeared in the Hindi films Black Magic, Amriki Pandit, and Hisaab Barabar, in addition to the television series The Railway Men. He's also going to portray Chempakaraman Pillai's lead in Rajesh Touchriver's biopic, a secondary character in Karan Singh Tyagi's biopic of C. Sankaran Nair, and a supporting role in Swati Singha's science-fiction film, G.

Madhavan as a Brand Ambassador

Madhavan is a well-known brand advocate in India. His early work featured ads for brands such as Bajaj, Ponds, Fair & Lovely, and TVS before landing a multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with Pepsi and marketing firm IMG. He helped UniverCell, a multi-brand mobile phone retail chain run by UniverCell Telecommunications India Pvt Ltd, in 2007. He signed a contract with Airtel for South India promotions before being named the brand's pan-Indian ambassador a year later. His Airtel advertisements with Vidya Balan earned favorable reviews, and the two were approached for film roles together. Arun Excello marketers used a similar marketing strategy to launch a new film starring Madhavan and promote a residential property in Oragadam, Chennai, in June 2010.

The promotional effort caught people's curiosity with film-inspired posters and billboards put up throughout Chennai, and the project was a success. His long-term work with Joy Alukkas resulted in the creation of his life-size wax sculptures to display in the company's showrooms that launched in January 2011. Maruti Suzuki, for which Madhavan is a brand ambassador, produced the Madhavan Signature Edition of the Suzuki Wagon R in September 2013. Snapdeal enlisted Aamir Khan and Madhavan as business ambassadors in 2015, with Snapdeal intending to market their services through Madhavan's popularity in South India.

Awards

• He received the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut - South for Alaipayuthey in 2000.
• He got the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor in 2002 for Run, Kannathil Muthamittal, and Anbe Sivam.
• He got the ITFA Best Supporting Actor Award for Anbe Sivam in 2003.
• He received the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor - Tamil movie Aaytha Ezhuthu in 2004.
• He received the Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Tamil movie Irudhi Suttru in 2016.
• In 2016, he received the SIIMA Award for Best Actor (Critics) - Tamil and the IIFA Utsavam Award for Best Actor - Tamil for Irudhi Suttru.
• He received the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor - South, the SIIMA Award for Best Actor - Tamil, and the Norway Tamil Film Festival Award for Best Actor for Vikram Vedha in 2017.
• Rocketry: The Nambi Effect won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film and the IIFA Award for Best Director in 2022.