Chennai, India – R. Madhavan has built a career on bringing extraordinary stories to life, and his latest obsession is another unsung Indian hero: Gopalsamy Doraisamy Naidu, the inventor and industrial pioneer widely regarded as the ‘Edison of India.’ In an exclusive interview ahead of the release of G.D.N., Madhavan opened up about why he is drawn to such figures, the challenges of portraying Naidu, and revisiting his iconic film Run. “I love watching and hearing about the extraordinary achievements of ordinary men,” the 56-year-old actor said.
Madhavan’s fascination with unsung heroes is well-documented, having previously brought the story of ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan to the screen in Rocketry: The Nambi Effect. With G.D.N., directed by Krishnakumar Ramkumar, he aims to unveil the genius of a man whose inventions—including the vote recording machine, radio clock, and electric razor—have been largely forgotten. “What he has done for Coimbatore, India and society is unsung, all hidden behind the fact that the media and the British portrayed him in a certain manner,” Madhavan stated. “The fight in this film is to make his story a part of the syllabus, at least in Tamil Nadu.”
The actor underwent a striking physical transformation for the role, spending over three hours in make-up to portray the older Naidu, complete with thick glasses that made walking and acting a challenge. Despite the physical demands, getting into Naidu’s mindspace came naturally to Madhavan, who has always shown an inclination toward engineering and science. He also revealed that the makers prepared an almost two-hour audiobook of the film’s dialogues and background music, which helped him visualize the project. Unlike the ultra-realistic Rocketry, Madhavan described G.D.N. as having an “entertaining Raju Hirani-kind of storytelling.”
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Reflecting on his career, Madhavan revisited Run (2002), the action film that redefined his image as a lover-boy. He credited director Linguswamy’s vision for the iconic shutter fight sequence, which remains a fan favorite. He also spoke about his love for Chennai, calling it “a world of its own” and “an escape from the rest of the world.” Up next, Madhavan has the Netflix series Legacy, a film titled Circle with Kangana Ranaut, and another project called Bridge. “I look for stories that I relate to, bite deeply into it and live with it for months,” he said.
