R Madhavan: We don't question Dunkirk, so I want that respect for Rocketry too

R. Madhavan has compared his upcoming movie Rocketry to Christopher Nolan’s films like Dunkirk. The actor shared that if the Indian audiences don’t question something like Dunkirk, he wants them to respect a homegrown story like his Rocketry, which is based on Indian space scientist Nambi Narayan.

“I don’t want people to come wondering what Madhavan has created but that they want to know the story of the scientist. We don’t question when James Cameron makes a film. When you see Dunkirk, you feel it is all accurate. That’s the kind of respect I want from my audiences as well,” Madhavan told Bollywood Hungama.

The actor shared that while India got grand scale films by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Rohit Shetty, Hollywood diverted to futuristic science-fiction movies. He cited the example of Steven Spielberg and how the West made movies which became iconic, while Bollywood did not even take a step towards that.

“Though we made films on freedom struggle and Mughal invasion, we never focused on one aspect of India’s achievement which is scientific,” R. Madhavan said. He added that the scientists, engineers and doctors from India are admired worldwide. The actor-turned-director pointed out that at least 14 CEOs are from India in the list of top 20 companies.

“When America makes a film called Apollo 13 or Steve Jobs or Interstellar or Inception, we never wonder whether the Indian public will be able to consume it,” he shared, adding that even those films are making Rs. 70-80 crores in India alone. The actor recalled the success of Gravity in India, which released many years ago.

“Why are we not making such films and only thinking that America will save the world?,” Madhavan questioned. He shared that India has 1000s of Nambi Narayans and insisted that the intellectual capital should be retained in India itself.

Madhavan wants people to believe that they can be that intelligent and a good engineer and still find glory in this country instead of having to be a Sundar Pichai. The actor in fact wants these minds from outside of India to come and work in our country.

“Once, the people who controlled the skies were the trendsetters and rule-makers,” Madhavan said, while insisting that their stories need to be the focus of Indian cinema and is the need of the hour today. He wishes to see the Indian youth stand up and salute and get admiration for the industry.