I have been floored by Mr Bachchan: Madhavan

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CNN-IBN's Entertainment Editor, Rajeev Masand caught up with Tamil superstar R Madhavan and got him talking on his latest films and his experiences working with Amitabh Bachchan, Mani Ratnam and Rajkumar Hirani.

Rajeev Masand: Hi Madhavan, welcome to Now Showing.

R Madhavan: Thank you.

Rajeev Masand: Madhavan, your new film, 13B is a spooky thriller about a family that moves into a new home and the strange things that begin to happen to the family, reflecting what is happening on a TV show. Very interesting premise. Tell me what drew you to it.

R Madhavan: The director's vision. Honestly speaking, Vikram is completely responsible for the way the film has turned out. We've been trying to do this movie for the past seven years and every time we would meet and we would discuss it, I would feel excited because I always knew Vikram was meant for something different and larger. Then he came up with this story which he came to Vishakapattnam to narrate and when he finished narrating the first half, I literally took a fruit knife and said to him if you don't finish the story like the first half is, I will kill you. So he said no, no let me tell you the second half and sure enough it was not as good as the first half, but I said it's just phenomenal and never been done before so lets sit and work on it. So I said let's work on it and believe it or not, we sat on the story for another two years and he was very pissed because he was not so sure I wanted him to start making the film in the first place. But everything fell in place.

Rajeev Masand: It seems like this year is more of a comeback for you - I know that's a tricky word. It's a year that we are going to see more of you especially in Hindi aren't we? Tell me what was it like shooting with Mr Bachchan for Teen Patti. Is he an idol?

R Madhavan: I was always a huge fan of Mr Bachchan's but after Teen Patti I have become a devotee really. A lot of people can't tell you the things that I can in terms of the fact that he is physically very strong. I mean at his age, when he grasps you in a shot or when he gets angry, it really hurts man. And I like to believe that he has a certain fondness for me and we spent a lot of time bonding during the film and we went out golfing and everything. And he surprised me with his dexterity and his hand-eye coordination. People who play golf at that age generally take a long time to hit the ball and he did a great job and I was totally floored. I can't talk enough of Mr Bachchan.

Rajeev Masand: With Mani Ratnam working more and more in Hindi, does it make the opportunities of you working with him lesser and lesser. I know you've had a role in Guru, but of course nothing like Kannathil Muthamittal or Alai Payuthey.

R Madhavan: Look, as a selfish actor I would completely like to have him to myself all the time, but that's not a practical desire to have. Mani does not work with actors. He works completely and surgically with his scripts, the way the script has to work and then he'll find actors to fill the gaps. Strangely, he's the only guy who has cast me in roles that nobody would have dreamt of giving me. I was the chocolate boy with Alai Payuthey and Minnale and those kind of movies. I was the traditional chocolate boy for the Tamil industry and the next thing you know he gave me a mature, father of three role in Kannathil Muthamittal. As the audience were getting over the shock of that, he gave me Ayitha Ezhuthu, which was a completely nasty, beast of a man role. And then from there it went to Guru. He believes that I could do different kind of roles and that was a huge compliment to me in his own way. But to expect Mani to sign me up for all his films, he doesn't work on those emotions at all. I mean, we are great family friends and all but the reason that he is a great filmmaker is because he does not allow these emotions to get into the way of making films.

Rajeev Masand: Tell us what it is like shooting with Rajkumar Hirani and Aamir Khan for Three Idiots?

R Madhavan: I think by far the singular most amazing film shooting experience of my life. Rajkumar Hirani is a really amazing man who works wonderfully with his script and story and he makes every actor feel so responsible towards his movie that it's really orgasmic. And everybody on the set works like it's his own movie. For an actor, I feel inadequate if I haven't given my 120 per cent on that scene and that makes me feel good, so if you ask me how I feel about Raju Hirani, then he makes me feel good about myself as an actor.

Rajeev Masand: The world is becoming smaller. That is evident from the fact that Aishwarya Rai is in The Pink Panther 2 and Frieda Pinto is presenting an Oscar. Do you feel that within India, it's still a bit of a hurdle, difficult for an actor, a talent from regional cinema - say from Tamil - to crossover to say into Hindi? Or is that crossover becoming simpler?

R Madhavan: Not really and rightfully so. Asin has made it and after a long time there is a south Indian actress who has hit the top league and we really hope that continues like that. But if the audience doesn't accept you, there is nothing anybody can do. So if I am a Tamil actor and the audience doesn't accept me, then it's the easiest thing for me to say that because I am a Tamil actor they haven't accepted me. On the other hand, they have accepted me - I have done 1,800 episodes on TV. I have never stood in the way of them accepting me. So it's not like there are people sitting in the film industry plotting against you, saying don't come. You know you have to speak Hindi like the Hindi-speaking guys. You might have the talent which is unsurpassable, but it has to find an audience in the common man. And if it doesn't then you only have yourself to blame and not your region or your background or your looks for it.

Rajeev Masand: Well best of luck, let's hope you find that place in peoples' hearts. Thank you so much for talking to us.

R Madhavan: Thanks Rajiv.