“There’s  No Formula To Stay  Young, Except… “ Madhavan On Getting A  Year Older

This is a good time to  be R Madhavan.

He has much to be happy about. “I’m at a stage in my career where I just need to entertain my audience.  Longevity isn’t of primary importance right now.  I  believe myself to a  be a gypsy. I’m supposed to come in, do my  bit to entertain audiences and get out. It’s not my job to change the Tamil film industry or cleanse society. I could  share my experiences with the audience. But it isn’t  my job to preach to them. If they’re moved by my story I’d be happy to have them cry with me.  It would mean I’ve succeeded as an actor and an entertainer.

The actor,who turned a  year  older  June  1,  has never  looked and felt better.  “I feel younger now than I did twenty years ago. There is no formula to  stay  young except positive thinking, healthy eating and keep smiling.”

The year  has  started with  a bang called Shaitaan for Madhavan.

“I still can’t believe I  could be so evil even if it was just for  the camera. Mujhe apne aap pe shaq hone laga hai. Am I really a good person? Or is there an evil  person inside me that I don’t know  about?” Madhavan wonders half-jokingly.

Shaitaan has opened new  doors for Madhavan. He is  being offered the antagonist’s  role in posh project. But he isn’t baiting the badmaashi bait.

    Maddy says, “It is very important for every actor to take that time off to re-invent himself. Otherwise you end up being a parody of yourself. I think I am ready to start a new phase in my career.”

 Time has just flown by since Madhavan  found stardom, or rather, stardom  found Madhavan on the then-incipient satellite television. “That seems  just like yesterday . I can’t believe I’ve been facing the camera for  more than thirty years? I feel I’ve just started. Am I really 54?There is that beginner’s hunger in me.I don’t think I can rest on my laurels . I haven’t achieved enough to do that yet.”

The  future  belongs to Madhavan’s son Vedaant  who is bringing  our country national and international fame  as a swimmer.

Says the proud father, “Vedaant is the  best blessing God has given me and my wife Sarita. Every day we  thank the Lord that he is in our  life. The glory he  brings to the country means  more to me than anything that I’ve done  in my own career.”

Madhavan  has never shied away from taking risks. At  a time when television  was  considered  a medium for losers he did Sea Hawks and Banegi  Apni Baat . They made him a  star on the home medium.

Madhavan is the  original Boy Next Door , the chocolaty  Boy Next Door. After  Alai Payuthe  in Tamil and Rehnaa  Hai Terre Dil Mein in Hindi Maddy was  a rage with women of every age. They would  scream hysterically the  minute they spotted  him.He would get messages and mail where girls offered to do unmentionable things with him. He had  a foolproof remedy for temptation: a   cold shower. He married  the woman he loved , the wonderful Sarita Birje, his anchor,touchstone , companion and soul mate.

Madhavan is arguably the only  leading man in Indian film industry who has never been unfaithful to his wife: “Not even in my thoughts  because she can read my mind. Sarita has given  me a  beautiful home, a wonderful son and a fabulous life. I wonder what I would have been  without her. Certainly not the person that I am.”

This year  it a quiet birthday for Madhavan  with his  wife Sarita  and  son Vedaant.  “I am done with shor-sharaaba and parties. At 54  you have to start sobering down quite  a bit.”

What about all the women who still hit on  him?

“Are  you kidding me? If  these women were  actually hitting on me, my wife Sarita will hit on me so  hard and in such a place where I wouldn’t  be able to answer the call of nature for the rest of my life,” Maddy chuckles.