Interview:
Actor Madhavan Answers Questions


 

                An exclusive interview by actor Madhavan. The details:

                Question: In spite of your great popularity among today's young men and women, your latest release "Yennavalae" couldn't make a mark and one even doesn't know when did it come and when did it get gone either!....Why?

                Answer: "Ennavalae" and "Minnalae" were the films which I got committed in even before "Alai Paayuthae". I didn't expect, to some extent even, that "Alai Paayuthae" could create so big a hit history as it did, and that I could become as popular as I am now! So, after it's great success, people naturally started expecting too much from me. But the film "Ennavalae" couldn't stand upto this expectation! But it's director J.Suresh and everyone of us including myself had really put in a lot of hardwork to make it a success.

                   Yet, notwithstanding the fact that the film was a poor runner, it so happened that I, as a performer, got a good name indeed! From all these, I came to understand one thing: It would be of no use if only myself performed well in a picture. The entire team has to work hard if it wants to taste success! Apart from it, I have also learned the following fact: That the project has to be weighed in the perspectives of it's commercial prospects, it's distribution methods, the timing of it's release and finally the publicity it gets exposed to! Even to-day, they repeatedly telecast only the song, "Adi... Kaathal Enpathu Thoongum Mirugam..." in the T.V. channels. All the e-mail letters addressed to me are in full praise for "Ennavalae". In short, I have learned very useful lessons through "Ennavalae".

              Question: Does the film "Minnalae" stand upto your present image level?

                   Answer: The fans expect from me good scripts like "Minnalae". There are scenes in it in which I have shown out my aggressive type of acting. Most of the college girls are very much appreciative of this style of my acting. They expect the story as well as my type of character to be different. Director Gautham Vasudev and myself, while we were seeing the picture "Minnalae" on the first day in Devi theatre, had our eyes flooded with tears, as the gents and women fans just clapped their hands as soon as they saw me on the screen in my entry scene in the film. The whole theatre revelled in the festive mood! Self-pride and a sense of fear that I should safeguard this goodwill till the end (of my career), simultaneously overwhelm me!

                  Question: Do the audience of other heroes also welcome you too?

                        Answer: I never think I should attract Vijay's fans, Ajith's fans etc. I feel it's enough if I have audience who like me. Nor do I have the desire to earn the No. 1 hero status in Tamil field. I use to think that the producers who make films by booking me shouldn't end up incurring loss because of me. Only when the producer is benefitted all others and myself could thrive well too!

                    Moreover, everyday, as I start for my shooting work, I make it a point to attend it with full involvement. For doing my work only half-mindedly won't work-out at all! One should always respect one's work. Then only he can reap the benefits. The camera, I feel, is my God. If one acts insincerely in front of it then it would bring to light the hypocrisy. If, as per the story, the heroine is to be loved, the character meant to love her has to really love her. That's to say only if the character really loves her in front of the camera, then only the audience could meaningfully enjoy it. Thus full involvement should be shown in the action until the director says 'cut'.

                        Question: Is it really because you act in scenes with total involvement that you seem to embrace your heroines with 'air-tight-closeness' in all your films say from "Alaipaayuthae" to "Minnalae"?

                        Answer: (Before answering this question Madhavan first called his loving wife Saritha and asked her to sit beside him). My wife has instructed me that however closely I embrace my heroines in films, the scenes should be so decent as to be witnessed by the people in theatres in the company of their family members! She always gives me such suggestions placing herself in the position of a common cine-goer. I used to take with me my wife Saritha also, when I happened to act in the closely embracing scenes, for example: with Shalini in "Alaipaayuthae", with Snekha in "Ennavalae" and with Reema Sen in "Minnalae". It has been a habit with me....that first I allow the heroine that I pair with in the film to mingle with my wife Saritha....Once the two of them become close friends, the heroine can afterwards act with me so closely without entertaining any untoward feelings.

                      When the "Vaseegaraa...."song sequences in "Minnalae" were shot, Saritha was present there. So Reema Sen, the heroine, maintained a very jolly mood while acting with me! Otherwise, Reema would have felt a little sad about for herself having been put in such a situation of so closely embracing me while acting! In my films definitely there won't be kissing scenes. There won't be obscenity. I possess my treasure called Saritha. Today, Shalini, Jothiga, Snekha, Gautham Vasudev's wife Preethi are all good friends of her. So if I act with total involvement in love scenes, the reason behind this is my wife! Let it be my wife or myself or the heroine concerned, we all have one common interest---not to send any wrong signal to the viewers!

                    Question: How do you feel about acting in K.Balachander's film?

                    Answer: It's a matter that makes me blush with pride the moment I start thinking about it. I actually did shed tears when 'Iyakkunar Sigaram' K.Balachander sir told me: 'I was given to understand that you act with full involvement in every one of your films....That's only I booked you in my "Paarththaalae Paravasam"'. Presently I'm acting in "Paarththalae Paravasam". I have acted in "Dum Dum Dum",  produced by Maniratnam sir's 'Madras Talkies'. It has been directed by Azhagam Perumal. Since these two films happen to be full-length love stories, they are likely to improve the status of my present image.

                   Question: What are the other films you are acting in?

                    Answer: I'm learning Telugu only now. It would take some time for me to learn Malayalam. In Tamil I act in a film that's being produced by Vikram Sigh and directed by Maniratnam sir's assistant Siva. Next, I have been committed in a film to be produced by the company that produced "Amarkkalam". In Hindi, I act in two films being produced by Vasubhagunani. I like very much to act in Tamil films. I don't like to act in films whose language I don't know. Only the Tamil audiences are my God!