I still consider myself a newcomer in Bollywood, says R Madhavan

Spicezee Bureau

Mumbai: Riding high on the success of ‘3 Idiots’, South sensation R Madhavan is quite content with what he has got in life. The actor, who made it big with Aamir Khan starrer ‘3 Idiots’ feels that he “has never regretted anything in life.” Talking to a news daily on his newfound stardom, Madhavan said, “I have to clarify the fact that I have neither vied for respect nor fame as an actor, something people feel I have tried extremely hard to achieve. I don’t know why, but people romanticise my struggle to reach where I am today. To be honest, the quest of my life has been to do projects that become immortal. As far as money is concerned, I have never been paid the amount that the market perceives an actor of my calibre should get. When I do a film with the biggest production house, big actors and popular directors, I don’t get what my actual market value is. Unfortunately or fortunately, I have only done such films. Nonetheless, there have also been those films that have repaid me in huge ways.” Madhavan, who recently turned forty, says that romancing a twenty year old actress can be challenging. “The anxiety level is bound to go up. But wouldn’t it be charming to see a 40-year old woo a 20-something girl? If the viewers feel it works and appreciate the chemistry, there wouldn’t be anything more rewarding. Apart from this, I don’t really see any major difference in turning 40,” he said. Talking about his career, Madhavan said that he never shied away from experimenting in life as he acknowledges, “I studied engineering, worked as a communication trainer and turned into an actor. I switched careers simply because I’m petrified of boredom. About 40s as a phase of self introspection, I would say I’m not a philosopher; just a simple guy who wouldn’t want to plan much, but faces life as it comes.” The actor, who will soon be hosting a reality TV show said, “I’m a huge fan of Siddharth Basu. When I was asked if I wanted to host Imagine TV’s ‘Big Money...Chote Prade Ka Badaa Game Show’, my answer was yes. Especially because of the interest that ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ generated. I’m sure the viewers will enjoy it for it deals with the questions based on all that’s happening in television.” Madhavan, who is juggling his Bollywood innings with Tamil cinema, does not feel any frigidity in B-town as he added, “I haven’t witnessed anything of this sort. So if Kamal Haasan or Rajinikanth didn’t do well in Hindi flicks at one point of time, it was maybe because of the lack of viewers’ acceptance. Has it ever been easy for anybody to make it big in Bollywood, let along actors from South? As far as Bollywood is concerned, I still consider myself a newcomer, no matter how big a star I am in the South.”