Netizens’ dearest Maddy aka R Madhavan has carved a niche for himself over the years. The actor has delivered several hits and has captured both theatres and the OTT space. His last few projects involve films like ‘Rocketry’ and ‘Shaitaan.’ His OTT ventures include ‘The Railway Men’ and ‘Breathe.’ Moving ahead, the actor is gearing up for his OTT film, ‘Hisaab Barabar.’ In a recent interview, Maddy reflected on the pressure of box office numbers and how OTT provides more creative liberty.
During his interaction with Screen, R Madhavan talked about how digital platforms give actors the liberty to choose character-driven roles. “OTT gives better character-driven stories because we have to compensate for the lack of the big screen. If you are putting your content out on OTT, then justify that to me. I have been very fortunate that all the work that I’ve done on OTT, hit a chord. Some things also require the eight episodes to tell the story.” As an example, he cited his upcoming release.
“For example, Hisbaab Barabar has the content and character but not the grandeur to be on the large screen so I can’t justify it. Hence, the medium in which the story is selected and is going to be presented is really important for me.”
Taking the conversation ahead, Maddy iterated how OTT relieves the pressure of box office figures. He said, “Thank God for that. I get nervous by the hour when I am closer to a release. In fact, the two most horrifying moments for me in my career are when I have to do the first day of shoot, it is getting progressively difficult. And second, the first day of publicity and release, because everybody looks at you and I feel everyone is saying, ‘Nuhuh, you have lost it, that’s it, game over’.”
As the discussions progressed, the ‘3 Idiots’ actor talked about his script-choosing process. “It’s always the subject and the intent behind making the film that makes me pick it. Sometimes, you get films that are nicely set up with the right actors, team and price. But, that doesn’t excite me. I try and do things that really excite me so that the days I spend making that film are rewarding.”
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Madhavan’s next is ‘Hisaab Barabar.’ In the film, he plays an ethical and honest ticket checker working for Indian Railways. With his observational skills, he uncovers a huge financial fraud by banker Mickey Mehta, played by Neil Nitin Mukesh. Ashwani Dhir is helming the title. The thriller is going to premiere on Zee 5 on January 24.