R. Madhavan Discusses Why the Purpose of a Film Matters More Than the Role

At the trailer launch of Kesari Chapter 2 in New Delhi on Thursday, actor R. Madhavan discussed his portrayal of Neville McKinley, a British lawyer, in the upcoming film. He emphasized that his primary focus when choosing roles is the purpose and significance behind the story, rather than the nature of the character—be it negative or positive.

 

Madhavan shared his perspective: “When I choose to do a film, I look at the purpose behind why the film is made. This was Dharma with Karan Johar and Apoorva Mehta making a film called Kesari Chapter 2 with Akshay Sir and the director Karan Singh Tyagi, who is a law graduate from Harvard, and they all came together.”

 

Reflecting on his character and the historical context, he continued: “It’s been a very irritating chapter in school because we needed to memorize what happened, then slowly we got older, and we remembered that this is very bad. Then, from people, we got to know that it is such a big massacre. When I did the film, I realized that this is one of the biggest genocides in the world. I felt that no other stories can be better than this for me.”

 

Madhavan further elaborated on his approach to the role: “I don’t mind whether my character is negative or positive. I just want to convey the truth and if people hate me after watching this film,  That’s when I’ll know I’ve succeeded.”

 

Kesari Chapter 2 is set to release on April 18, 2025, and is anticipated to shed light on the lesser-known aspects of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, offering audiences a compelling and thought-provoking cinematic experience.