Madhavan addresses ‘sanghi’ label, defends Dhurandhar: ‘What kind of propaganda?’

“I have never shared anything against any party or its leaders. If someone has done something good, I have amplified that. When a person has been elected to be a Chief Minister or Prime Minister, I think it’s my duty to support them. I read the comments, but it does not affect my decision making. If someone is making me feel bad about that, then I want to question their intent.”

He added that he has been “conditioned since childhood” to believe in, and love his country, stressing that his views should not be interpreted as political allegiance.

According to Madhavan, it is usually easy to identify genuine criticism and distinguish it from comments made by “paid bots.”

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On Dhurandhar and Rocketry being called propaganda

Madhavan also responded to criticism surrounding Dhurandhar, which some viewers described as a pro-government or propaganda film. The actor has previously defended the spy thriller after it drew polarised reactions for its depiction of national security and Pakistan, questioning whether some of the backlash was agenda-driven.

He also recalled the criticism that followed Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, where some accused him of being “overtly Indian” after showing former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan praying in the film.

Clarifying that he was not trying to make any political statement, Madhavan said he was simply portraying real people as they were.

“Dhurandhar, as a film, is set in Pakistan. Whatever happens, good or bad, shows how it affects India. What kind of propaganda is that? I don’t understand. When it comes to criticising Nambi, how can I be honest in the story if I’m afraid of who he really is? If he’s going to the temple, I’ll show it. If GD Naidu is an atheist, I have to be true to the character. I’m not showing him praying. I’m an actor; my job is to portray what it is. And my personal opinion is, I just want to enhance all the good things about India. That cannot be a crime.”

Why Madhavan has faced political criticism

Over the past few years, Madhavan has frequently found himself at the centre of political debates online. During the promotions of Rocketry, he faced backlash over remarks linking India’s Mars mission to the traditional Panchang, while the film itself was viewed by some as strongly nationalist.

More recently, Dhurandhar drew criticism from a section of viewers and critics, who argued that the film leaned towards a pro-establishment narrative. Madhavan has consistently rejected those claims, maintaining that his films are rooted in the stories of their characters and events rather than political messaging.

Despite the criticism, the actor was named a Padma Shri awardee in January 2026 and received India’s fourth-highest civilian honour from President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in June for his contribution to cinema.

Madhavan will next be seen in Krishnakumar Ramakumar’s GDN, a biopic on pioneering Indian inventor G.D. Naidu. The film also stars Sathyaraj, Priyamani, Jayaram, Dushara Vijayan, Vinay Rai and Yogi Babu, and is slated to release on August 7.