R Madhavan: Wondered if it’d be a cosmetic look at tragedy

R Madhavan

One doesn't associate Yash Raj Films with hard-hitting and realistic stories. For the same reason, R Madhavan was initially sceptical about being a part of The Railway Men, which revolves around a group of railway personnel who saved lives on the fateful night of the Bhopal gas tragedy. "I had scepticism about how it would be treated. Will it be a cosmetic look at the Bhopal gas tragedy? Because Yash Raj is known for classically doing that," begins the actor, who plays Central Railways' general manager Rati Panday in the four-part Netflix series.

His doubts were cleared when he read the script penned by director-writer Shiv Rawail and co-writer Aayush Gupta. "When I saw the in-depth research and how Shiv knew everything like the back of his hand, it gave me immense confidence. But I was still unsure about how I'd do it because my character gives a speech, which was initially eight-to-nine pages long," he exclaims.

Shiv Rawail and Aditya Chopra

In Hindi cinema that leans towards theatrics and dramatic dialogues, speeches run the risk of sounding hollow, or worse, patronising. Madhavan knew that for the scene to be effective, his words had to sound more personal - a suggestion that he took to Rawail and producer Aditya Chopra. "I said that in today's world, if I have to make a speech about men [embracing] death to do something glorious, [the audiences may feel a] disconnect because they have seen so many of those speeches. It has to be a personal journey. I told them I wanted to make it shorter, real and I didn't want [my character] to stand on a pedestal, I wanted him to be with the guys. I was shocked at the promptness with which they reacted. Adi sir took out those pages, shortened [the speech] and Shiv sharpened it. What came out was so spectacular." His rousing speech is now one of the most crucial scenes of the Kay Kay Menon, Divyenndu and Babil Khan-starrer.

Working on The Railway Men was particularly enriching for Madhavan because it's one of those rare subjects that commanded his attention. Having worked for more than 25 years across languages, he believes his true success lies in being able to choose projects that align with his artistic beliefs. "People underestimate the power of money and success. I don't use acting to make money, I use money to help me act [in projects that resonate with me]. I don't have to take up all the projects that come to me. That money helps me sustain when I'm not getting the kind of subjects I want to take up."