R Madhavan did not like ‘Oppenheimer’, ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’: ‘Hollywood of late has disappointed me’

R Madhavan about his working philosophies, his disappointment with recent Hollywood films including Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’, the strains on the average Indian taxpayer and more

R Madhavan has hurt his leg, taking breaks between a long day of interviews to change the dressing on his foot. He cops to no jet lag, though I’m informed he flew in from Dubai the morning of. He’s been working more consistently — and unpredictably — in Hindi films. He was a monster in a hoodie in his last release, Shaitaan; his next, Hisaab Barabar, streaming on ZEE5 from January 24, is a comedy on banking scams. Madhavan plays a gentle, if parsimonious, ticketing inspector with the Indian Railways, a failed chartered accountant who sets to work unmasking a major fraud. “I’m embarrassed but I have six films releasing in the next two years,” Madhavan says. “That’s a step-up from doing just four in Hindi in the last 10 years.”

In a conversation with The Hindu, Madhavan spoke about his working philosophies, his disappointment with recent Hollywood films including Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, the strains on the average Indian taxpayer and more.

I am a huge fan of Ajith and what he’s achieved as a racer. In today’s world, where the need to survive and stay relevant in news is paramount, he can put his career on hold and follow his heart, his passion. And he does it with such grace, aplomb and beauty. Racing is his arena. I was cheering for him as a fan. I obviously did not want to hog the limelight. As they say in Hindi, ‘begani shaadi mein abdullah deewana.’ I did not want to be that.

I will make it a little academic for you. In the 2000s, nobody believed Aamir Khan’s Lagaan will do well. Nobody thought Rang De Basanti would become an iconic film, or Guru or 3 Idiots or, a little later, Tanu Weds Manu. There was no pattern or formula these films were following. They were not residues of a previous success. However, they were all made with conviction and had a unified directorial vision. So my analysis was: find a subject you really connect with, and do it with bravado and conviction.

When I heard the idea of Decoupled, I connected with it. I enjoyed making it too. But then came the release. Sarita (Birje, Madhavan’s wife) and I saw it together and she was like, “What the hell were you thinking?” It felt like game over for me. The show was in English. It was absurdly offensive. It’s not the kind of content people associated with me. But then I went for the promotions and the media was responding positively. I kid you not, world leaders have called me up and said, “How the hell did you know the story of my house?”

I am not entirely in tune with that. As a creative person, I have to question the motives behind a project. If those motives are not kosher, if they are laced with ulterior agendas, then you are going to face multiple issues. Great filmmakers were there in our country, they knew how to tell stories, they were extremely successful, and then they faded for whatever reason. The question is: how does someone like Clint Eastwood who is 94 continue to stay relevant and win Oscars? He too must have faced the same turmoils as us. Over a period of time, other actors and directors in India have managed to stay relevant. Look at Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajkumar Hirani, Rajamouli. I will take inspiration from them. As many stories are there of everything becoming corporatised, there are an equal amount of success stories.

Let me ask you this: How come the whole nation is a fan of K-pop today? How come Korean stars are more popular than Indian stars? That content is as real, as organic and as human as we can expect. It’s not bombastic at all. Shows like Squid Game and Money Heist: Korea have fans in India. So content is being made. Are you, as a filmmaker, so comfortable that you don’t want to break the mould and evolve over time? Are you taking your audience for granted? I have seen big directors get the Godfather syndrome, where they go on a set and feel like the Godfather. And yet, I have also seen someone like Rajamouli. I gave a screen test for him and even at this age he is enthusiastic like a child.