R Madhavan defends his 'RHTDM' character amid criticism, arguing that courtship norms have changed over time. His remarks have reignited debates on Bollywoods portrayal of romance.
R Madhavan, fondly known as Maddy in Bollywood, earned his nickname from his iconic role in the 2001 romantic drama, Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein. While the film brought him lasting popularity, it continues to spark debate even after more than two decades. The film, co-starring Dia Mirza and Saif Ali Khan, remains a hot topic among audiences to this day. Though celebrated for its memorable music and performances, it has also faced heavy criticism for romanticising stalking. The controversy resurfaced recently when Madhavan defended his character’s actions in the film.
In a recent interview with India TV, Madhavan opened up on the criticisms surrounding his character, ‘Madhav Shastri’, aka ‘Maddy’, in Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein. He argued that the film should be viewed in the context of its time, considering that it was before the era of smartphones sans social media and men had limited ways to approach women. He said:
“At a time when phones, messages and social media didn’t exist, how would you contact a girl? What was considered decent? If meeting a girl knowing that she’s there, assuming that it’s a decent way to approach, then my father could be accused of stalking. Anybody could be. If it were a love marriage, there was no other way to get in touch with the other person.”
On that note, Madhavan also suggested that those conventional methods of courtship have now been redefined, making those past practices appear problematic by today’s standards. Hence, if someone were to send letters or try to meet a woman at a social gathering, it could easily be perceived as stalking in today’s world.
Going further in the interview, Madhavan talked about the way romantic dynamics have evolved in Hindi cinema. In the present context, a man does not meet his potential partner at bars or other public gatherings. He also questioned how men today are expected to meet their potential partners. In Madhavan’s words:
“In our village, we had festivals every month because it was an opportunity for social interaction. How do you meet a girl in a city today? You’re not going to meet your life partner in a bar, right? That’s not why you go there. For a normal, lower-middle-class guy, where is the opportunity to meet a woman in the most decent way? You either meet them during Ganesh Chaturthi or Holi. So, the occasional festivals we had back then were the only opportunities to meet up.”
Madhavan also touched upon how modern dating has become increasingly complicated due to concerns over consent and boundaries. However, it was not the same even two decades ago. Describing how men used to make a move back then, the actor shared:
“Earlier, we used to go to nightclubs. Among 100 guys, two would be immoral — the nastiest of men who gave all of us a bad name by touching girls inappropriately. Then there’d be 10 guys who would have the courage to approach women decently. The remaining 60 percent would remain quiet, too afraid to make a move. Now that figure has reached 90 percent because they’re all afraid to make a move.”
Well, with Madhavan’s remarks, the debate surrounding Bollywood’s portrayal of romance has once again grabbed the spotlight, as modern audiences have become more critical of how romance is portrayed on the screen.
Do you agree with R Madhavan’s take on ‘Maddy’s’ character in Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein?
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