I became like a kid on sets before Big B, Kingsley: Madhavan

R Madhavan or Maddy, as he is fondly known as, finished 2009 on a high with the biggest blockbuster 3 Idiots. He starts 2010 with another big film Teen Patti. In an exclusive interview, Maddy talks about his experience working with two of cinema's stalwarts, Mr. Bachchan and Sir Ben Kingsley. While doing so he also shares with us some fun moments the 'kids' and the rest of the crew had while on the sets. Read on to know more.

You have Alibaug, Sunglass, Tanu Weds Manu and yet another film with Kangna and a few other Tamil films coming up, could you shed some light on these projects?
Tanu Weds Manu is with Kangna and me and is being directed by Anand Rai. We have so far finished one schedule. The film basically is a comical love story based in a small town like Lucknow, and not in a city. It's got that earthy smell of rural or rather central India instead of the urban metropolis so I think it's very exciting. While the other film with Kangna is still under discussion and nothing has been finalized as yet.

Big B is so talented that if you look at him just as an actor, it's unfair
Alibaug hasn't been signed as such while Sunglass is actually finished and I really have no reason as to why it's not releasing. So I guess you could say it's shelved.

What was it like working with two stalwarts of cinema Sir Ben Kingsley and Mr. Bachchan, you being a huge Bachchan fan?
I have always been a huge fan of Mr. Bachchan but after this film all I can say is that I have become a devotee, he is just such an amazing, amazing man. He's so talented that if you look at him just as an actor, it's unfair. He just manages to blow your mind, I mean I went golfing with him and he plays great golf, while he is absolutely hilarious when it come to rib tickers and by far the best part is that he shares the same passions I do. He loves cars; he loves engineering, so it was a blast.

R Madhavan Have you seen the film 21? There are a lot of people saying that Teen Patti is based on similar lines…
Well in a sense it is about professors and students who are involved in card counting. In terms of the premise it might be, but then there are a lot of other aspects to the film that make it totally different from its erstwhile counterpart.

What's your character in the film Teen Patti?
In the film, I am playing a professor in a college who believes that he got a really raw deal. As professors we educate the students so we should really be getting good money. So I want to live life in the fast lanes and make good money and enjoy the luxuries of life but there is a price I have to pay for it.

Did you actually play mentor to the 4 newcomers on the sets?
No! I guess the kids were just as blown away by Mr. Bachchan as I was. When it comes to mentoring I was lost, I think Mr. Bachchan was the one who played the role of a mentor to them.

What was it like working with the two stalwarts of cinema, Mr. Bachchan and Sir Ben Kingsley?
I was like a kid in a candy shop. I didn't know who to look at; I didn't know what to do. It was surreal. I was telling my assistant to take my photos and quite literally I became like a kid on the sets with both Mr. Bachchan and Sir Ben Kingsley.

If you were to analyze which is that one film you wish you would be part of or rather a role that you would have loved to play what would it be?
I think the only thing that comes to mind right now is the role that Shah Rukh plays in My Name is Khan. That is one film I would have loved to work in and especially play the part that SRK is playing.