Madhavan recenrly opened up about his experience of working in the digital medium and how he still faces the pressure of box office numbers with theatrical releases.
Madhavan mentioned that streaming platforms give actors more opportunities to work on stories that focus on characters. He explained that since OTT content doesn’t have the big screen experience, it’s important to make the story meaningful for the platform. He shared that he has been fortunate that the projects he worked on for OTT resonated with audiences, and some stories require the time and space of multiple episodes to be properly told.
The actor also mentioned that certain projects, like Hisbaab Barabar, have strong content and characters but lack the grand scale needed for the big screen, so it wouldn’t make sense to present them there. He emphasized that choosing the right medium to tell a story is very important to him.When asked if OTT is more freeing due to the absence of box office pressure, the actor expressed relief, saying he’s thankful for that. He shared that he gets very nervous before a release, and two of the most stressful moments in his career are the first day of shooting and the first day of publicity and release. He explained that on those days, he feels like everyone is judging him and thinking he’s lost his touch.
He acknowledged that it’s not easy to survive for 25 years in an industry where many people become irrelevant in just 25 months. He expressed gratitude for still being able to play leading roles, and said that the support and encouragement from others is what keeps him going; without it, he feels he might have lost his way by now.
Madhavan explained that when choosing projects, he focuses on the subject and the intention behind making the film. While some films may have the right actors, team, and budget, those don’t excite him. Instead, he looks for projects that genuinely interest him, so the time spent working on them feels fulfilling. He noted that his last ten projects have been content-driven stories about ordinary people and their courage to become real-life heroes. He has always admired the quiet strength of the common man, and these films have worked well for him.
R Madhavan is preparing for the release of his upcoming project, Hisaab Barabar. In the film, he plays an honest ticket checker working for Indian Railways who uncovers a major financial fraud involving banker Mickey Mehta, played by Neil Nitin Mukesh. Directed by Ashwani Dhir, the thriller also stars Kirti Kulhari. The film will premiere on Zee 5 on January 24.
