Archive · 5 Aug 2026
R Madhavan rejects 'sanghi' label, defends Dhurandhar against 'propaganda' charge
A famous movie star in India, R Madhavan, talked to a news show called Galatta Plus about unkind things people say about him online.
Some people call him a 'sanghi,' a nickname for someone they think supports the government.
Madhavan said he does not belong to any political party and just likes to praise people when they do good things.
He said his parents taught him to love his country when he was a little boy.
Some people say his movies, like Dhurandhar, are 'propaganda,' which means trying to trick people into liking the government.
Madhavan says his movies just show real events, like Dhurandhar being set in Pakistan, and real people as they truly were.
He said it is not wrong to be proud of being an Indian.
Madhavan has a new movie coming out soon called GDN, about a famous inventor named G.D. Naidu, known as the 'Edison of India.'
The movie comes out on Friday, August 7.
R Madhavan told Galatta Plus he holds no allegiance to any political party despite being branded a 'sanghi' on social media.
He rejected 'propaganda' charges against Dhurandhar, saying the film is set in Pakistan and shows how events there affect India.
He defended Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, saying he portrays real people like former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan truthfully, including showing him praying.
Madhavan, the FTII president and Padma Shri awardee, said he was 'conditioned since childhood' to love his country and supports elected Chief Ministers and Prime Ministers.
His next film GDN, a biopic on inventor G.D. Naidu, the 'Edison of India,' releases on Friday, August 7 with a cast including Sathyaraj, Priyamani and Jayaram.
- Who
- Actor R Madhavan, who also serves as president of the Film and Television Institute of India, responding in an interview with Galatta Plus.
- What
- Madhavan denied any political party allegiance, addressed being branded a 'sanghi,' and defended Dhurandhar and Rocketry: The Nambi Effect against 'propaganda' accusations while promoting his upcoming biopic GDN.
- When
- The interview came ahead of GDN's release on Friday, August 7; his Padma Shri was announced in January 2026 and conferred in June 2026.
- Where
- India, where Madhavan works in cinema; the Padma Shri was conferred by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- Why
- Madhavan says he was 'conditioned since childhood' to love his country, believes it is his duty to support elected leaders, and insists he portrays real people truthfully, which critics misread as political allegiance.
Critics and online detractors
R Madhavan and supporters
Is Dhurandhar a propaganda film?
Critics and online detractors
Critics and some viewers described Dhurandhar as a pro-government or propaganda film, citing its depiction of Pakistan and its portrayal of government policies such as demonetisation as benefiting national security.
R Madhavan and supporters
Madhavan argues that since the film is set in Pakistan and shows how events there, good or bad, affect India, he does not understand how it can be propaganda; he says he was simply showcasing what happened.
'Sanghi' label and political allegiance
Critics and online detractors
Social media users brand Madhavan a 'sanghi' — a term commonly referring to a member or supporter of the RSS — viewing his posts and films as promoting a pro-government, nationalist narrative; he also faced backlash over his silence during the NEET-UG student protests.
R Madhavan and supporters
Madhavan says he has never spoken against any party or leader, praises good work regardless of who is in power, and considers it his duty to support elected Chief Ministers and Prime Ministers; he calls his patriotism childhood conditioning, not political allegiance.
Portrayal of real-life figures in Rocketry
Critics and online detractors
Some accused Madhavan of being 'overtly Indian' after showing Nambi Narayanan praying in Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, and criticised his remarks linking India's Mars mission to the traditional Panchang as nationalist.
R Madhavan and supporters
Madhavan says his job as an actor is to be honest and truthful to who the real person was, showing temple visits or atheism alike, and asks, 'How is it wrong to be an Indian?'
- Actor
- R Madhavan
- Interview platform
- Galatta Plus
- Films accused of propaganda
- Dhurandhar; Rocketry: The Nambi Effect
- Dhurandhar role
- Ajit Sanyal, a character modelled on National Security Advisor Ajit Doval
- Upcoming film
- GDN, a biopic on inventor G.D. Naidu, the 'Edison of India'
- GDN release date
- Friday, August 7
- GDN cast (per reports)
- R Madhavan, Sathyaraj, Priyamani, Jayaram, Dushara Vijayan, Vinay Rai, Yogi Babu, Aditi Balan
- Honour
- Padma Shri (announced January 2026; conferred June 2026 by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan)
