Overview

• Madhavan argues that every Hindi film hero has displayed toxic behavior, pointing to on-screen slaps or abuse as clear examples.
• He highlights the need to factor in past cultural and technological contexts when judging gestures like keeping a woman’s handwritten letter.
• Reflecting on his own roles, he says the lead in Rehnaa Hai Tere Dil Mein and his Saathiya character would now be viewed as patriarchal or stalker-like.
• In Aap Jaisa Koi, which he is promoting with Fatima Sana Shaikh, he explores how patriarchal conditioning shapes an ageing man’s approach to love.
• He urges an updated understanding of masculinity that accounts for era-specific norms rather than judging older films by today’s standards.