At 56, Madhavan Is Still Reinventing Himself
As the actor turns an year older on June 1, he says the secret to longevity lies in balance, moderation and staying grounded
At 56, R. Madhavan looks no more than 40. And now, to play the gaunt and wiry innovator Gopalswamy Doraiswamy Naidu in his next film, the actor has shed even more weight from his already lean frame.
Speaking to DC, Madhavan reveals the secret of his youthful looks. “The secret is that there is no secret. I don’t do anything clandestine to look young. I don’t even pay attention to how I look until someone asks about it. I believe in eating, sleeping and living a balanced life. I think starving to stay slim is a criminal way of trying to remain young. As for artificial ways of de-ageing, they should be strictly banned.”
On losing weight for the role, Madhavan says, “The character was extremely slim. If I don’t match him physically, I can’t think or feel like him. What did I do? Nothing. Just some extra laps in the pool with my son.”
It has been a terrific year for the actor. “In my 30-year career, I’ve never encountered anything like Dhurandhar. This is something unparalleled.”
Looking ahead, Madhavan says reinvention is the key. “You can’t rest on your laurels. You keep moving ahead and make sure the audience doesn’t get bored of you. For that, you need to keep growing and stay grounded. That’s where family comes in.”