Being relevant is my secret: Madhavan

Actor Madhavan, who is also a motivational speaker, was in town for the Radiant Wellness Conclave event, which was held  yesterday. In a candid chat with us, Maddy opens up about his secret to a healthy life and the plight of farmers in our country.

According to the actor, a wellness conclave is the need of the hour, as it educates people the right way to treat their shortcomings. When asked what wellness means to him, he explains, “I think people today are functioning at a normal level, which they consider the best — but it is mostly unhealthy. Whereas our body is designed to perform at an optimum level, which people often forget.”
He goes on to say, “If you go by the history of mankind, the average lifespan of a man is 40 years. But today we see a Japanese man who has lived for 100 years! The whole point of wellness is to contribute to the coming generations — and to be able to do that — having proper mental and physical wellness is must.”

Not many know that Maddy has set up a kitchen garden at his house in Mumbai and grows all the vegetables right under his nose. So, what made him grow his own produce? “Irudhi Suttru was taking a long time to finish and I was bored (laughs), so I started my own kitchen garden to keep myself occupied. Now, I have enough vegetables to keep me fed for at least five days in a week! Since you are growing your own vegetables, you know what goes in there and what doesn’t. Once you start doing that, you understand the life of those who grow vegetables to make a living, especially the farmers!” he muses.

Maddy goes on — “If one of my plants get eaten by a rat, I do a Thambi (a film in which Madhavan plays an angry young man) on him! I can imagine what the farmers would be going through when their crops get ruined by pests or weather. One of the most resounding thoughts that keep me bothered is that we could be more compassionate to the plight of farmers.”

The Alaipayuthey actor was missing in action from Kollywood, for a period of time. On talking about his thought process at that time, he states, “I was on a sabbatical and it feels terrible when you don’t get to make the films that you want to. So, I put myself in a corner and wanted to make sure that I didn’t forget where I came from. The idea was to mellow down the self-inflicting ego, so that you start from the beginning. It helps you a lot when you are making a movie.”

He adds, “That’s what happened when I made Irudhi Suttru. Though I did not dumb down the film, people were smart enough to accept it. There were a few who criticised that audiences wouldn’t accept a boxing film. Under normal circumstances, I would have turned down the offer — but since I took the sabbatical, I was able to go for it. Over the period of time, I learned to make my own decisions. Now, I’m glad to have survived 15 years in the industry — and make a name in terms of the movies that I do.”

In the past, Maddy’s speeches have always made an impact on anyone who witnesses them. This year, his speech at a private college went viral on social media for all the right reasons.

Ever wondered what would be the secret to his wellness and his positive array of thoughts? “I think I am mentally very active. I am afraid to be irrelevant. This is a fight that every man would be fighting — to be relevant to the present generation. If you want to be well ahead, you have got to be relevant and that is my secret,” he quips.

Every one of us would love to create an identity for ourselves, and Madhavan is no different. He had to face his own struggle to enter into the film industry. But,his journey and his roots keep him grounded. When we ask him to share a message to the youth, he delves into the topic of equality. “I try to be more aware and compassionate about myself. The biggest problem in today’s world is the lack of identity for the youth. Somewhere deep inside, people want to be acknowledged and appreciated. For example, when the younger generation treats a maid in a particular way, you are already starting the process of saying you are not as good as me. The first step is  to treat human beings equally and to severely come down on people who break the rule,” he says and bids adieu.