This week in The Role That Changed My Life, R Madhavan looks back at Rang De Basanti, which taught him the importance of an impactful character
R Madhavan had been around for several years before he ‘broke through’ in the true sense with Minnale (and subsequently its Hindi remake Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein) in 2001. But the actor feels that the one role that changed his life, and certainly his outlook towards his work, was another one. It was his 9-minute cameo in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s cult classic Rang De Basanti.
When we asked to name the film that changed his life, Madhavan responded, “It was Rang De Basanti.” In Rang De Basanti, Madhavan played Indian Air Force pilot Ajay Singh Rathod, who tragically dies piloting a faulty plane. His death and the administrative indifference to it spurs on his girlfriend and friends to take matters in their own hands.
Rang De Basanti had an ensemble cast featuring Aamir Khan, Siddharth, Kunal Kapoor, Soha Ali Khan, Sharman Joshi, Alie Patten, and Atul Kulkarni. Madhavan was in the film for a very brief period but the actor says he realised the importance of a character from that film. “I was there in the film for exactly nine minutes but the film got referenced around that character. I realised the importance of a character and its portrayal. I learnt how if played, what impact a character can have,” he added.
Rang De Basanti became the representation of angst of an entire generation. Its scenes inspired templates for protests around the country. Reflecting on it, Madhavan added, “The influence that Rang De Basanti had on the entire country, with regard to the media as well as how the whole country got their voice after the film, that was quite something.”
After the release of Rang De Basanti, Madhavan went on to appear in both commercial hits like Tanu Weds Manu and critical successes such as Irudhi Sutturu. The actor continued to work in Hindi as well as Tamil cinema. In 2022, he released his first film as a director – Rocketry: The Nambi Effect – in which he played the lead role too. The film won him his first National Film Award.
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 "R Madhavan in Rang De Basanti")
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