R Madhavan has weighed in on the growing criticism from movie audiences, arguing that viewers have every right to voice their disappointment when a theatrical release fails to meet their expectations. At a time when sections of the film industry have pushed back against what they consider increasingly harsh audience reactions, Madhavan has taken a different stance, calling the common moviegoer his “master”.Madhavan was asked about whether audiences have become ‘brutal’ towards films. The actor pointed out that viewers have always had opinions, but social media has now given them a much louder platform to express them.He also described a familiar family outing to the cinema, where one member may insist on watching a particular star’s film, only for the family to end up disappointed if the movie fails to deliver.Madhavan also spoke about how audiences today are surrounded by distractions even inside theatres. He said in an interview with M9, “Despite all this distraction, just when you’re getting used to the film, if the film is irritating you, if the actor is pompous and the director has not done his job, or it’s just a great combination and an on-table profit, they are irritated. Earlier, I used to wait a week for reviews. Now, even before the film is released, they are so angry. They have passed judgment on the teaser or trailer. They are absolutely correct.”For Madhavan, the audience’s ability to spend money on a film gives them a unique position of power. He explained that unlike many other professions, actors and filmmakers face public judgment that can extend beyond their professional lives and affect their families.“His achievement in life is only that he can afford to buy a ticket to your movie. And therefore, he becomes your master. So, you have to salute what he says. This kind of discrimination doesn’t happen to a scientist, an industrialist, or anybody, because their circle of life is very small. If they get brickbats, it’s in private. Here, the family also bears the price of your stupidity. If my film doesn’t do well, my family will feel embarrassed to go around.”Madhavan has had a packed run of projects across languages in recent years. In 2025, he appeared in Hindi films including ‘Hisaab Barabar’, ‘Kesari Chapter 2’, ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’, ‘De De Pyaar De 2’ and ‘Dhurandhar’, besides starring in the Tamil Netflix film ‘Test’.He returned as part of the cast of ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ this year, while his latest release is ‘GDN’, a biographical film based on industrialist and inventor GD Naidu. Madhavan has also co-written and produced the project.
