R Madhavan, who was last seen in Aditya Dhar’s ‘Dhurandhar’ and will soon star in a biopic on Indian innovator Gopalswamy Doraiswamy Naidu, weighed in during a promotional event on being labelled a “sanghi” because of his social media posts and the criticism he’s faced over ‘Dhurandhar’ and ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’. He said his patriotism has been “conditioned” into him right from childhood, and that he doesn’t support any particular political party.
When asked by the host on Galatta Plus how he handles being called a “sanghi” over his social media activity, Madhavan said it’s not hard to spot who’s being genuine versus who’s a paid bot. He added that everyone is shaped by their own conditioning, and that his has been rooted in loving his country since he was a child. “I have never shared anything against any party or its leaders. If someone has done something good, I have amplified that. When a person has been elected to be a Chief Minister or Prime Minister, I think it’s my duty to support them. I read the comments, but it does not affect my decision-making. If someone is making me feel bad about that, then I want to question their intent,” he said.
Madhavan has also come under fire for his role in ‘Dhurandhar’, which drew accusations of being “propaganda” and “pro-government.” He previously faced similar backlash for being “overtly Indian” after depicting former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan praying in Rocketry. Clarifying that he wasn’t making any “political statement,” the actor said the criticism was something he simply couldn’t wrap his head around. “Dhurandhar, as a film, is set in Pakistan. Whatever happens, good or bad, shows how it affects India. What kind of propaganda is that? I don’t understand. When it comes to criticising Nambi, how can I be honest in the story if I’m afraid of who he really is? If he’s going to the temple, I’ll show it. If GD Naidu is an atheist, I have to be true to the character. I’m not showing him praying. I’m an actor; my job is to portray what it is. And my personal opinion is, I just want to enhance all the good things about India. That cannot be a crime,” he stated.
Madhavan’s next release is Krishnakumar Ramakumar’s ‘GDN’, arriving in theatres on August 7, with a cast that also includes Sathyaraj, Priyamani, Jayaram, Dushara Vijayan, Vinay Rai, and Yogi Babu. The film traces the story of GD Naidu, often referred to as the “Edison of India.” Go to Source
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