R Madhavan, who recently celebrated his 27th wedding anniversary with wife Sarita, once spoke about the secret behind their lasting marriage and why staying faithful has never been a challenge for him despite working alongside some of the most beautiful actresses in the industry.In a 2015 interview with ETimes, Madhavan spoke candidly about his relationship with Sarita and credited her with being his strongest pillar of support.
“I am so lucky to have her in my life.”
When asked who he loves most in the world, Madhavan had a clear answer.“My wife is Sarita. She understands me completely, keeps me completely grounded and is also my complete partner who takes care of my son, my parents and my finances. She gives me the complete freedom that I want to be an effective actor.
She is used to my temper and my clumsiness, and is not afraid to tell me how good or bad I am.”Praising her role within the family, he added: “She never expresses how hard she works for me and the family and never expects credit for it. She is more of my parents’ child than me and they adore her. I am very lucky to have her in my life.”
“It’s the easy way to stay loyal.”
Asked how he remains loyal to his wife in an industry where extramarital affairs are discussed, Madhavan said loyalty came naturally to him.
“I think that’s the easy way to stay loyal. There are other areas of my life that I need to put my energies into. I also think that loyalty is a family trait.”The actor then shared an anecdote about his family’s values.“My entire family until the end of their lives remained so loyal to Jamsetji Tata that we actually have a picture of him, along with all the gods with the mala. So honestly, I would have to try my best not to be loyal.”
“I am that middle-class man in Darbuk Madrasi.”
Madhavan also admitted that although he appreciated beauty, he would always prefer to come home to his wife.“At the end of the day, I’m that middle-class guy, and while I’m very attracted to attractive girls, at the end of the day, I balance going home and cuddling with my wife rather than making an excuse for not being there.”He revealed that transparency has been a part of their relationship from the beginning.“Since the beginning of our relationship, she didn’t even have to ask. My mobile phones are always with her and my accounts are always with her.”
“I didn’t want to test myself”
The actor also mentioned director Mani Ratnam’s advice that has stayed with him throughout his marriage.“Mani Ratnam gave me advice on how to not have to test relationships. He said, ‘When something is going well in a relationship, don’t keep testing it to see how much she loves you.’
Just let it be. Sometimes the test is the thing that ruins everything.”Madhavan admitted that he took practical steps to avoid temptations, especially after he became a star.“So when I became a Tamil star and attracted this crazy girl, I was the first one to announce my marriage even though I was advised against it. I was opening all the girls’ fan mail with Sarita. I was insisting on taking her to any kinky outdoor shoots not because I wanted her to know I was faithful, but I didn’t want to test myself.”“Over a period of time, this has become a habit and has worked for me. I think she also likes the fact that I’m organised, that I don’t filter my words, and that she doesn’t have to guess what I’m trying to signal through what I say or do,” he added.Madhavan married Sarita on 6 June 1999. They have a son, Vedant Madhavan, and are still regarded as one of the most enduring couples in the entertainment industry.
