R Madhavan is going big; first there was ‘3 Idiots', and now he is set to share screen with Sir Ben Kingsley and Amitabh Bachchan in ‘Teen Patti'. The actor chats up with India Blooms correspondent Sreya Basu on why it took him almost 10 years to get his dues in Bollywood.

Are you still on Cloud 9 with the success of ‘3 Idiots'?
(Laughs) Not really. I am very happy that the film did so well and my character was so appreciated. But I have a long way to go.

Your next film ‘Teen Patti' is set to hit the theatres this February...
Yes...I am really looking forward for the release of the film.

What's your character in the film?
I play a young charismatic professor named Shantanu. He is a colleague of Venkat (Amitabh Bachchan), who has chalked out a theory that will refine the principals of probability and randomness. Shantanu encourages him to test his theory in real world; he even succeeds to persuade Venkat try the theory at Teen Patti (a poker game). But eventually, this game goes out of their control and chaos, greed and desperation grab their lives to a point where no one can save them.

How much attention can you really expect from the audience in a film that stars Sir Ben Kingsley and Amitabh Bachchan?
I don't mind...I don't think this kind of a film is ever going to come my way a second time.

You are one actor from the South who has become equally popular in Bollywood. But why is that we don't see you in too many films?
I choose my projects very carefully. I want to do roles that will have a long term effect on the audience mind, irrespective of the length of my screen time.

Is that the reason why, despite being in Bollywood for almost 10 years, you still play second fiddles in most films?
I don't play second fiddles or do guest appearances in Bollywood. I played the protagonist in my first film (Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein) here; also 13B was a single hero film. As for ‘Rang De Basanti', you too must agree that it was a pivotal role. My character is ‘Guru' helped to go my loverboy image. In ‘3 Idiots', I play one of the three protagonists.

Quite a few of your films from South have been remade in Hindi. But strangely, you were not offered to be a part of the Hindi remakes. Why?
‘Saathiya' (‘Alaipayuthey' in Tamil) was a Yash Raj film. So, it was totally on them to decide on the starcast. As for ‘Yuva', Abhishek (Bachchan) played the role I played in ‘Aayutha Ezhuthu'. I have full faith in Mani Sir. If he chose not to have me in the Hindi remake, there must be reason for that. But I am not bothered over these things. I am sure I will get what I deserve in Bollywood one day.

What makes you so optimistic?
I have always followed three principles which are very close to my heart...whether it's for getting work, girls, or anything. First, fortune favours the brave; so you have to attempt it no matter how frightened you are. Second one is, try try and try again till you succeed; so I always try at least to put my point of views across and see what can be done. And thirdly, ‘next'; if not this one, then you will find a ‘next' to achieve.