by Subhash K Jha

Madhavan is dubbing for his new Tamil film Thambi. He has just been screaming and sobbing for his slaughtered screen- family.

Understandably Maddy is melancholic. He cheers up while speaking of his cameo in Rang De Basanti. "It is a cameo. And I waited seven months before saying yes. The problem was I had long hair for Thambi. And my role in Rang De required very short hair."

Madhavan got away with long hair in Rang De Basanti. "Our hair sylist Avaan has done a nice job of camouflaging my long hair...My role is barely ten minutes long. I hope it leaves an impact. I wanted to see how it would be to be the sets with Aamir, to see where his brilliance comes from...We worked on an open set. The cast was truly interesting. We gave away our lines to each other.

"We all knew which lines suited our characters, and gave away the rest to reach other. Aamir was most encouraging. He sat back and let us do our thing. He inspires excellence. I know I've a small role. But I was willing to take a risk for Aamir's. It isn't as though the big banners in Mumbai are clamouring to sign me and would be discouraged because I've done a cameo in Rang De Basanti."

Shot in Ludhiana, Maddy had to get up at 5 am every morning.

"My hair took an hour to do up. Eventhough we rehearsed so many times it was still different on camera. And because it was live sound we had to be very careful...I've never done a 25-crore film in any language before. It's an experience I'd happily go through again."

Madhavan is out of the tv game show Deal Ya No Deal. "I enjoyed it while it lasted. We were all new and innovating on the sets all the time. It was fun. But no tv again until it fits into my schedule."

He's now signed two big-budget Tamil films... Arya to be directed by Balasekaran and Sarkar by Madesh. In the meanwhile his next Thambi is ready for release on 10 Feb.

"It has been the most exhausting film ever. I had to do the most impossible stunts, including not blinking throughout the film. That's right...my character doesn't blink throughout the film."