Give GD Naidu the Recognition He Deserves: Madhavan

Chennai: On a sultry afternoon, we joined R Madhavan aboard the first bus bought by pioneering Indian inventor GD Naidu in 1921. The coal-fuelled steam-powered vehicle, which once plied between Udumalpet and Palani, rolled along the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore as Madhavan, who plays the title role in the biopic GD Naidu, spoke exclusively to DC about working on the film.

GD Naidu was known as the ‘Edison of India.’ How did you prepare to portray someone with such a deeply mechanical worldview?

GD Naidu was a fantastic visionary. It’s a misconception that he was only a scientist or innovator. He was also a philanthropist, a botanist and an agriculturist engaged in cotton farming. He was deeply concerned about women's education and the country's freedom. The good things he wanted to do for Tamil people back then, we are implementing now, 100 years later. That is exactly why I wanted to be part of this film.

What draws you to biopics?

"How do we not know about a man like this?" I asked myself in anguish when I did Nambi Narayanan Sir's film. I avoided other biopics, fearing that I would get consumed by that fierce obsession again. Then I got the Ajit Doval-inspired role in Dhurandhar. Just when I decided to stop, this came along. I wanted to say No, but the moment I heard director Krishna's script, that same fierce obsession hit me again.

The younger generation knows very little about GD Naidu. Could this biopic pave the way for honours like a Bharat Ratna for him?

It is necessary to know about GD Naidu because he was incredibly advanced even back then. He asked: "Why are you studying engineering for four years? The practical knowledge you gain in a polytechnic can be learned in just two years." Today, because of AI, we realise we don't need to learn everything, just what is practically necessary. He did many visionary things. Forget about the awards and the Ratnas. People should at least know about him.

The younger generation is very smart. You don't need to spoon-feed them; just ignite a spark, and they will do the research themselves.

He deserves recognition. It has already begun. Recently, a flyover was named after him in Kovai. When all of India knows about him and his story is included in the educational syllabus, that will be this film's success.

Naidu often clashed with the authorities of his time. Did you relate to that rebellious streak?

He was not a rebel without a cause. When he wanted to change a system and faced opposition, he fought fiercely. On women's education, for example, he stood with Periyar and was one of the pioneers. I can relate to that a lot.

Were you concerned about your own mannerisms showing through in the portrayal?

Yes, in a biopic, the look is only 20 per cent. I had fears. “Will people just see Madhavan acting like him?" It was important that the technical words he used shouldn't sound like I was speaking them for the first time. So we did a lot of hard work and research. Once we put on the prosthetics and got the look right, I was able to forget that I am Madhavan.

Sathyaraj, Priyamani and Jayaram give glimpses of their roles

Director Krishnakumar Ramkumar and cast members Sathyaraj, Jayaram, Priyamani, Aditi Balan, Karunakaran, Vijay Yesudas, Kanika and Sheela Rajkumar arrived in vintage automobiles at the venue of the audio launch of GD Naidu.

Sathyaraj said he plays a character named Ramiah Pillai. Jayaram plays an impactful role as Krishan. Priyamani essays Ammaponnu Krishnammal and appears all through GD Naidu's life journey. "One of the best characters I've done in recent times," she said.