Madhavan has been having a successful streak with with the successes of De De Pyaar De 2, Dhurandhar and its sequel Dhurandhar: The Revenge. However, the discourse and controversies surrounding Aditya Dhar's two-part spy-action thriller have not left the actors or social media. It faced major criticism at the time of its release and the months that followed for allegedly promoting hypernationalist propaganda and glorifying the current political establishment. Madhavan, who had played a key role as Ajay Sanyal, the director of Intelligence Bureau, has finally broken his silence on the allegations.
In a recent interview with Galatta Plus, Madhavan said he knows the difference between genuine accounts who post criticism and paid bots. He acknowledged how conditioning changes every person, while adding, "From when I was young, I have been taught that our country is important and it matters what we contribute to it. If you look at my social media accounts or my interviews, I never say wrong about any political leader. I praise those who do good for the state and the nation. If MK Stalin does something good, I will post about it. If a Chief Minister or Prime Minister is elected in our country, I feel it is our duty to support them. Till date, no party has asked me to join them or do publicity for them."
Madhavan further reflected on the social media comments regarding his projects and clarified that it does affect his "decision making". "If a sportsperson wins laurels for the country, I feel it is right to post about that. If someone is making me feel about that, I want to question their intent," he noted.
The GDN actor also emphasised that he doesn't understand how being an Indian or portraying Indian customs in his work could be considered a crime or a political agenda. "What is wrong with being an Indian? I don't understand why I shouldn't proudly say that I am an Indian. This is not a political statement. Dhurandhar is a film based on Pakistan, where both good and bad things happen, just as they do in real life. Whatever I say in the film is in the context of the story. In the same way, I have conveyed what Nambi Narayanan says in Rocketry: The Nambi Effect. We have not inserted anything artificial or made up in the film. How can I be honest with the story when I feel afraid of who he really is. Nambi goes to temples, but GDN is an atheist. But that doesn't mean I don't believe in God. We are true to the character, and as an actor, it is my duty to portray who that person is. My personal opinion is that I just want the good things on India. That cannot be a crime," he elaborated.
Dhurandhar and its sequel were released in December 2025 and March 2026 respectively. The two films, headlined by Ranveer Singh, along with an ensemble cast, were a massive hit at the box office, earning over Rs 1000 crore each.
Madhavan's upcoming film G.D.N talks about the man who was often hailed as the “Edison of India”. GD Naidu was a self-taught engineer and entrepreneur from Coimbatore who revolutionised Indian industry by adapting imported technologies into affordable, practical innovations. The biopic explores his life, innovations and the controversies surrounding it. Directed by Krishnakumar Ramakumar, the film also stars Sathyaraj, Priyamani, Jayaram, and Dushara Vijayan in key roles and is scheduled to release in theatres on August 7.
