R Madhavan has defended the portrayal of Indian identity in cinema after his films Dhurandhar (2025) and Dhurandhar: The Revenge (2026) faced criticism from a section of viewers who labelled them propaganda.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Madhavan questioned why being openly Indian should be viewed negatively. He said Dhurandhar, set in Pakistan, depicts both good and bad aspects of the country, just as such realities exist in India.
“I don’t understand how being an Indian can be seen as a wrong thing,” he said, questioning what it means to be “overly Indian”.
Madhavan also defended his directorial debut Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022), saying he portrayed aerospace scientist Nambi Narayanan as he was in real life. He stressed that an actor’s responsibility is to remain truthful to a character rather than alter details to avoid criticism.
He said he wants to highlight the positive aspects of India and argued that doing so “cannot be a crime”.
Madhavan added that he has never criticised any political party or leader in interviews and has praised achievements across political lines. He said no political party, either in Tamil Nadu or nationally, has approached him to promote or join them.
He currently stars in G.D.N., while Adhirshtasaali and Circle are in the pipeline.
