Actor R Madhavan has revealed why he turned down the Tamil remake of 3 Idiots, saying he did not want to compromise the legacy of one of his most memorable characters.
Speaking during a conversation with author Chetan Bhagat on YouTube, the 56-year-old actor said he was uneasy about reprising the role of Farhan Qureshi, which earned him widespread acclaim in Rajkumar Hirani’s 2009 blockbuster, reported The Indian Express.
Madhavan said returning to the same character carried the risk of complacency and could diminish the impact of his original performance.
“Whatever good name I have earned for myself as Farhan in 3 Idiots, that will get erased and this will be remembered,” he said.
The actor also recalled a conversation with filmmaker Shankar, who directed the Tamil remake. Madhavan said Shankar described the project as a “quickie” before moving on to other films.
“That rang alarm bells in my head. You can’t look at 3 Idiots as a quickie. That’s not what the film is about,” he said.
Madhavan described Farhan as a deeply personal character and said the role had become “a religion” for him. Rather than recreate it, he wanted to preserve its legacy.
He added that he carefully assesses every project and pays close attention to how directors present their creative vision before deciding to come on board.
The actor is currently receiving praise for his portrayal of Ajay Sanyal in Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar.
Meanwhile, a sequel to Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots is reportedly in development. The new film is expected to explore the midlife struggles of its three central characters.
