Quotes from R. Madhavan

Normally, my birthdays are very quiet. I go to the temple with my family and later take blessing from my parents. A few friends come over to my house, and we talk about the year gone by.

I took a break so that I can entertain my audience properly.

My favourite food is definitely paani puri.

I realised after doing 'Tanu Weds Manu' that I had become fat and was not performing to the mark. I realised that I had become a terrible actor. I did 'Jodi Breakers,' which did not do well. So, I moved away from the film industry and lived with the common man to know where I was lacking and what do they want from an actor.

My assistants will bear testimony to the fact that I am a very angry man.

I am not someone who would raise my voice to seek publicity. I am a responsible citizen, and I continue to be so.

I struggle on many fronts on having to move to a different level, having to cater to constantly evolving audiences.

I eat exactly three times a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. I sit quietly for 20 minutes without anybody disturbing me, and I chew each mouthful 60 times.

I have been very cautious about the films that I do. I hope to always entertain my audience. The day I am not able to do that, I will quit acting.

If you do not have a good script, then no matter what the genre is, the film will not be a success.

Finding one good script is a huge challenge. So I do a film whose script comes and grabs me. Once I finish that, I look forward to the next movie.

If you say actors have a social responsibility to do things, you are right, in a way. It's a wishful decision. But if it's done out of force, I don't think it will accomplish anything. Everybody starts counting how much work they have done and see if they have done their due for the week. That is not social service. You need to go way beyond that.

It's very embarrassing to talk of your own work before shooting for it and even before it is released. I have been a witness to many of our actors turning red-faced after their films release. I'd rather not be there.

There's no one beating Mr. Bachchan when it comes to acting. He is outstanding. He is a phenomenal actor and a thorough gentleman. His natural skills at acting just bowled me over, and I've become an even bigger fan of his after working with him.

I don't have anything fresh in terms of raw foods or salad after 4 P.M. And no food after 7 P.M.

Success, or the lack of it, has a way to make you realise what your boundaries are.

I can't dance like Hrithik Roshan. I don't have the necessary glamour like some of the other actors do. They are able to sell themselves on that aspect. I do roles and films which are very realistic. So, in those films, if you don't get into the skin of it, they won't look convincing.

I told my wife that I want to take a three-year break. She supported me and said, 'Please go ahead.' I am grateful that she supported me. For me, this romance and understanding is very important in our marriage.

When you go into the realm of a double role, you have to take it to another level to make it believable.

I think new directors come with new perceptions, energy, and passion to win. They don't have to worry about an already existing image or budget that they have to recover.

If anybody accuses me of being rich, I give it back to them because I had a poor economical background. I worked my way up, and I am an exemplary citizen, and I always do what is good for my nation.

I learned different ways of working out. I learned a lot about my body. Let me just say that Arnold Schwarzenegger had 20-inch biceps when he did his first film, and when I did 'Saala Khadoos,' being a vegetarian, I managed 18 and half inches.

For me, my realism has stood me over 15 years, so the kind of films that I have done has garnered enough respect for me to be able to survive the industry.

I have always acted in films where women have an equal, if not bigger, role than mine. Don't the kind of films you do reflect your personality?