Madhavan definitely has the goods. But when you sit down to write what those goods are, one can’t help but stumble on the words. After all, there are so many Maddy fans of varying ages. So, what do we actually like about Madhavan Ranganathan? Some may think that Maddy is simply a lovable character; some may swoon for that smile. With the release of his newest film Tanu Weds Manu we here at Bollyspice decided to reveal the top 10 things we love about Maddy! So, in no particular order, here it is.
1. His smile
For those that have seen the Tamil version of Saathiya, Alaipayuthey, you may remember that the first few scenes are of a grinning Madhavan riding his motorbike. Careless and on top of the world, the scene later proved to be a tragic one, but for those few moments that grin proved deadly the ladies. Bollywood lovers weren’t waiting for very long to see what made everyone swoon, remember the scene as he sweetly smiles at Soha Ali Khan when he asks her to marry him in Rang De Basanti. I’m sure she wasn’t the only one that fell for him.
2. His professionalism
Whomever you speak to, Maddy has always been and still is Mr. Professional. He is never one to badmouth his colleagues or make drama on the set. In an age where we hear about on set squabbles between two main lead actors are frequent, Maddy has been apart of 17 multi-starrers in his 50 film career and never once has there been a rumour of issues between him and his co-stars.
3. His versatility
Even at the start of his career, he did not hesitate to try and be different. With Mani Ratnam’s Alaipayuthey he shot to fame as a 20-something year old that falls in love and learns to deal the trials of life after marriage. Within a few years he played a father of three in the story of a journey of child going back to her homeland to find her birth mother in Kannathil Muthamittaal, something which was considered taboo in the south for a long time. He then proceeded to transform into a goon in Aiyutha Ezhuthu, a role essayed by Abhishek Bachchan in Yuva, was an innocent chef who travels abroad in Nala Damaiyanthi/Ramji Londonwaley, only to turnaround and become Farhan Qureshi, an engineering student in 3 Idiots. Phew!
4. His effortless acting
One thing we all agree on is how effortless Maddy is at the characters he plays. Be it Ajay Rathod of RDB, Shyam Saxena in Guru, or his latest Manu in Tanu Weds Manu, he fits the shoe no matter how big, awkward, dorky or even the downright sombre. He has openly said the role of the goon Inbasekhar aka Inba in Mani Ratnam’s Aiyutha Ezhuthu was one of the toughest roles for him to do, yet whoever saw him on screen did not see R. Madhavan, but the character Inba, such is his acting prowness.
5. His style
While a good physique is bound to have the women swooning and the men envious, it is not the only thing that matters when it comes to style. For our dear Maddy, he may not be from the 6-pack-body-bearing class of actors but the man has class for sure. From innocently quirky to charmingly suave, he fits the bill to the T.
6. His eyes
They say the eyes are a gateway to a person’s personality. Not quite sure if Maddy is showing his personality in his eyes, but they never fail to show the emotion across beautifully. From the frustration of the common man in Evano Oruvan, a Tamil remake of Nishikanth Kamat’s Dombivili Fast or a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder sufferer in Mumbai Meri Jaan, he is as sincere as when he romances his leading lady Diya in Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein.
7. His charm
Give it up ladies, if you met someone as charming as Madhavan, would you not fall for him or what? I’m sure Sarita, Maddy’s wife of 12 years, would have a few words to say about his wonder charm. But seriously, the appeal about it is not even the ‘Oh my god, he’s so hot’ types. It’s the type that has you giggling like a little girl while your friends smile in a jealous fits yet when you take him home to the folks… your mum will want to make him a home cooked meal and dad will impress him with his golden year stories.
8. His all round appeal
Much like his charming ways, Madhavan is one of the few actors that appeals to all ages. Be it the youngsters, the kiddies, the parents or old timers, or language, be it Hindi, Tamil or Telugu, Maddy has a fan base that shows their support. In fact, his Tamil film Priyasakhi, which was later remade as Shaadi Kar Ke Phas Gaya, was the first Tamil film to ever be dubbed in the South African language, Zulu.
9. His determination
Fixed formulas and sentiments go hand in hand with Indian cinema and especially with our “heroes”. As mentioned, Madhavan not only changed the rules by his choice of films but every time he was shunted as a typecast because of his appearance, he came back with something innovative and different.
10. He’s all heart
When it comes to giving a helping hand, the humanitarian in Madhavan is always present and ready for action. From being an active member of PETA and winning the cutest male vegetarian award while Kareena Kapoor won the female one, to being a part of the AIDS Awareness program initiated by Richard Gere, to featuring in fellow actor and friend Suriya Sivakumar’s Agaram Foundation campaign “Herova Zerova” to promote educational awareness, Madhavan has utilised his fame to do his bit for society.
Now whether your reason for being Mad about Maddy is on the list or not, there is one thing that is undeniable. Madhavan is one sensational actor with a heart of gold.
