R Madhavan says he has stayed relevant for 25 years 'without six-pack abs and dance skills' as he represents common man

R Madhavan talks about his new film, Hisaab Barabar, and what makes him choose more grounded and relatable characters over ‘superheroes’.

Actor R Madhavan began his cinema journey as the quintessential boy-next-door with films like Minnale (and its Hindi remake Rehnaa Hai Tere Dil Mein). Over the years, the actor has made a niche for himself, playing grounded characters. His new film - Hisaab Barabar - is no different. The Zee5 original film sees him play a railway ticket checker. In conversation with HT about the film and his penchant for 'relatable' roles, Madhavan opens up on the secret of staying relevant.

On being relevant over 25 years

R Madhavan plays a railway ticket checker in Hisaab Barabar.

Minus cameo appearances, Madhavan has appeared in few Hindi films over the last decade. In fact, Hisaab Barabar is only his fourth Bollywood film since Tanu Weds Manu Returns, which was released a decade ago. "I use this time to explore and observe people," he says.

The actor emphasises that the observations he had made have helped him stay relevant. "The reason I have been able to manage to be relevant after 25 years without having the cliched superhero qualities of six-pack abs and the ability to dance is because I can portray the most difficult generation in the history of the world correctly," he says.

On portraying the ‘most difficult generation’

Elaborating on what makes this generation so different, he says, "Indians of my generation from around the world are products of middle-class upbringing. They rule the world in almost every aspect, whether IT, politics, or business. We have had the privilege to watch the world transform at a much faster rate than any previous generation and the challenge to adapt to it. We went from STD booths to pagers to smartphones in our lifetime. We have had to fight to stay relevant."

However, being selective in films can come with its own set of challenges. Was there ever a fear of 'out of sight, out of mind', you ask him, and he promptly replies, "I have learnt how to maintain relevance. If you don't do films for four years, people will forget you because there is so much competition. But, if you have carved a niche for yourself, you survive."

Directed by Ashwini Dhir, Hisaab Barabar is the story of a common man who sets out to expose a huge scam in a private bank. Apart from Madhavan, the film also stars Neil Nitin Mukesh, Kirti Kulhari, and Rashami Desai in pivotal roles. It was released on Zee5 on January 24.