R Madhavan Finally Opens Up On Chauvinistic Role In Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein ( Photo Credit – Instagram; Movie Poster )
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R Madhavan is one of the popular actors in the Indian film industry. He has starred in several successful films, Alai Payuthey, Minnale, Rang De Basanti, Guru, Tanu Weds Many series and many more. However, he is often criticised for starring in the fan-favourite but “chauvinistic” film Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein.
In the movie Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, often known as RHTDM, Madhavan plays Maddy, a young man who falls in love with Reena (Dia Mirza) and poses as her fiancé. He manipulates her, stalks her, and makes advances towards her. Although the 2001 Love drama has a devoted fan base, it has also come under fire over the years for romanticising stalking.
During a conversation with The New Indian Express, R Madhavan said he and Director Gautham Vasudev Menon followed their instinct and made Minnale — the Tamil film whose Hindi remake was RHTDM. However, they were accused of not treating women well in the film.
“Gautham and I followed our gut and made Minnale, and that paid off. Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein is one of those films. Of course, we were accused of a lot of things, how we should treat women and stuff like that, which I have my own debates and arguments about, but it worked. The public liked it, and it is still talked about,” Madhavan added.
R Madhavan also addressed accepting the role of “henpecked” husband in the Tanu Weds Manu franchise. He also pointed out how his character was subjected to ridicule for his physicality and wondered how it is fair to laugh at jokes about body weight in Tanu Weds Manu but take offence over gender politics in RHTDM.
“A lot of liberties were taken. People who accuse us of being chauvinistic in Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, I can throw the same accusation back at them by saying you guys laugh when I (my character) was called ‘Ye adrak hai, kahi se bhi badh raha hai.’ You think that’s a joke, and it doesn’t hurt a man? I am sure men will equally be sensitive about it. Having said that, I don’t feel anything about it… I don’t think we should become hypersensitive. This is largely a Western concept that tries to make ‘so perfect’, but it isn’t. Men and women are flawed in what they do,” Madhavan added.
