Milestones often bring moments of reflection. Naturally then, R Madhavan, who completes 25 years in the film industry, is looking back at his journey these days as much as he is looking forward to his 2025 slate that includes De De Pyaar De 2, Dhurandhar, and a romantic comedy with Fatima Sana Shaikh. Asked how he views his journey so far, the actor-director describes it succinctly in one word—“anomaly”. 

“I have done everything that people said couldn’t be done,” he shares, recalling the time he was told he wouldn’t make it on the big screen due to his popularity on TV, thanks to Banegi Apni Baat and Saaya. “When I over-exposed myself by doing 1,800 episodes of a show, people said, ‘You’ll never become a film actor.’ I told them I didn’t want to be one. Then, I got a debut that big producers and directors can’t for their kids—a film with Mani Ratnam, AR Rahman, and PC Sreeram [cinematographer],” says Madhavan of Alai Payuthey (2000) that launched him as a leading man in Tamil cinema.