R Madhavan Shocked At Indian Youth Obsessing Over K-Pop; ‘How Did We Lose Our Audience?’

Actor R Madhavan recently expressed his astonishment at how Indian youth have embraced K-pop, with many even speaking Korean fluently. In a candid chat with IndiaTV, he highlighted the cultural shift he has noticed.

“In the South and honestly, across most of India—K-pop has taken over popular culture,” he said. Madhavan noted that kids are not only fans but have learned Korean, using it as a private code to chat away from their parents’ ears. “How did K-pop manage to seep into our culture like this? How did we lose our audience? What’s different about their storytelling? These questions are frying my brain right now,” he added.

Beyond the K-pop phenomenon, Madhavan also reflected on the challenges filmmakers face today. He pointed out how audience habits and expectations have evolved, making it tougher to draw people to theaters. “Back in the day, when we went to see a film in the theatres, we didn’t have many options in the food and beverages department. It was either popcorn or samosa. But today, there is a huge decision that has to be made there,” he explained.

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“You have to take your vehicle, park it in some place, pay for the parking, brave the weather, marshal your family to the theatre, rush through security, and just before you enter the theatre, there is the wafting fragrance of the popcorn, which I am not sure if it is really fresh,” he added.

“We have to fight all this to get to your attention, and if god forbid, the film isn’t engaging…then the parents are at loggerheads about the wastage of money…and if you irritate them with your film, then they are not going to forgive you.” Madhavan emphasised how these logistics, paired with shifting tastes, put pressure on filmmakers to deliver compelling content.

Madhavan was last seen in the Netflix film Test. He’s now gearing up for Kesari: Chapter 2, where he’ll star alongside Akshay Kumar and Ananya Panday, that is set for release on April 18.

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