Overview
- He says he was disillusioned with the roles he was doing before 2011, leading to a break until his 2016 return with Saala Khadoos.
- Madhavan credits a conversation with his wife, Sarita Birje, for confronting his unhappiness and helping him commit to the hiatus.
- During the break he stopped advertisements, traveled across Chennai and India, and spoke with rickshaw drivers and other workers to reconnect with real-life concerns.
- On returning, he sought new collaborators and chose performance-driven projects including Vikram Vedha, Shaitaan, Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, Kesari Chapter 2 and Dhurandhar.
- His evolved body of work was honored with the 2026 Padma Shri, and Dhurandhar: The Revenge is scheduled to release on March 19.