R Madhavan on 'Decoupled': The no-filter guy I play in the series has a lot of me
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Madhavan is getting rave reviews for his role as the motor-mouthed husband and father in Netflix's 'Decoupled'.
Madhavan is getting rave reviews for his role as the motor-mouthed husband and father in Netflix's 'Decoupled'.
Madhavan admits his character is unique. “My character Arya Iyer was a departure from everything I’ve done so far. I don’t think I’ve ever played a character like Arya in 'Decoupled'. His marriage is a wreck and he writes pulp fiction. Actually my character Arya has a lot of me in him. There are so many things he feels and says that I can never do in real life. He's a no-filter guy. He says anything that comes to his mind. He says things that make people uncomfortable. He is the guy you wouldn't want to invite to your parties. And he constantly embarrasses his wife. But a lot of what he says is true.”
Madhavan and 'Decoupled' creator Manu Joseph wanted to show how we've normalized hypocrisy in the urban culture. “It is considered civilized to lie. As a responsible citizen, actor, son, husband and father I've to restrain myself from letting myself go.I know every word that I speak may be held against me. Being a recognizable name I have a certain reach and influence and I have to be constantly alert to the effect of my action and words. But this guy I play in Decoupled has no filters. He says and does whatever he feels.
Decoupled was shot through the pandemic. Madhavan says it was not a pleasant experience.
“Unless you are an actor shooting with a mask on, you wouldn’t understand what it is like. Normally when shooting, actors look at one another and get into the scene. But now you take off the mask only when the camera is running. There is no opportunity to get familiar with your co-stars. Still, no complaints. God has been great. We shot the whole serial before and after the lockdown. Now it’s up to the audience to embrace what we’ve done.
What according to Madhavan are the USPs of Decoupled? “It’s a take on urban marriages. I’d like to believe we’ve made a smart, funny, urbane show. And it’s in English. Which doesn’t mean it is inaccessible to the non-metropolitan audience. The divide between the rural and urban audiences has disappeared thanks to the OTT platform. Everyone watches everything."
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