R. Madhavan recently reminisced about the peculiar circumstances surrounding the filming of a memorable scene in the movie 3 Idiots, wherein the central characters had to portray drunkenness. In an interview, Madhavan revealed that on that particular day of shooting, he was actually intoxicated, upon the suggestion of none other than the film’s star, Aamir Khan. He recalled the Lagaan actor’s advice, stating that he believed it was better to be genuinely intoxicated and act sober than to fake drunkenness while sober.
Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi were too sloshed to deliver lines
During an appearance on the BeerBiceps podcast, R Madhavan discussed the scene and confirmed that all three main actors were indeed under the influence of alcohol. He recalled that Aamir Khan‘s concept was that in scenes depicting drunkenness, you shouldn’t act intoxicated. Instead, you should drink and behave normally. Madhavan recounted that the plan was to commence drinking around 8:00 PM, with shooting scheduled for 9:00 PM.
However, due to lighting issues, filming was delayed by two hours. Despite the setback, the actors aimed to maintain their level of intoxication. However, they underestimated the impact of the cold Bangalore air on their intoxication level. Consequently, by the time the scene was ready to be shot, they believed they were sober, unaware that the cold air had prolonged their intoxication, resulting in them taking hours to deliver their lines.
When R Madhavan had a heart-to-heart conversation with his father
The Shaitaan actor also reminisced about a real-life moment resembling a scene from 3 Idiots when he had a heartfelt conversation with his disappointed father. He recounted how he failed in the 8th standard due to scoring only 39% in mathematics. He was a mediocre student much to his parents’ dismay. Their aspirations for him were to marry and work at Tata Steel, residing in the same household as his father.
The actor vividly remembered the heartbreak in his parents’ eyes, particularly his father’s rare display of emotion. As they walked along the railway track after his last engineering college rejection, his father tearfully questioned, ‘What have I done wrong with you?’ Madhavan responded, ‘Appa, I don’t know what I will become, but I know what I don’t want to do, and I don’t want to do your job. If I sit on the table for 30 years, I’ll end up killing somebody. I’m not right for that. All I can tell you is that I won’t let you down.’
About 3 Idiots
Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, 3 Idiots debuted to widespread critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide in 2009. The film garnered significant attention, especially in China, where it achieved remarkable success. Additionally, the movie featured Kareena Kapoor Khan and Boman Irani in pivotal roles.
