R Madhavan says he, Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi 'looked younger than actual college kids' while filming 3 Idiots at 40

Actor R Madhavan, who is fresh out of success of Kesari: Chapter 2, has opened up about playing a college kid in his blockbuster film 3 Idiots which also starred Aamir Khan and Sharman Joshi. The actor recalled that playing a young student at the age of 40 made him feel uneasy but was relieved when he saw actual students. 

(Also read: R Madhavan shares why he doesn't pick sequels, franchises: 'So easy to just sit back and do 5 films like that')

‘It was a miracle that we passed off as college students’

In an interview with News 18, the Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein actor said, “I was sh**ting bricks when I was doing 3 Idiots as I was 40 years old at that time. Oh my god! It’s a miracle that we passed off as college students."

Madhavan further added, “But the funny part was when we went to the college and got into our attires, we were looking younger than the actual students there. That’s what gave us the confidence. Thankfully, Aamir (Khan), Sharman (Joshi) and I weren’t bald. Guys studying in that college were bald or had grey hair. We had to ask them if they’re students or professors. When they said that they’re students, we were like, ‘Achchi baat hai, bhai! (Thank goodness) Now we feel much younger.’"

Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, 3 Idiots featured the three actors as engineering college students. Aamir was 44 at the time, Madhavan 39, and Sharman was 30: all three much older than their characters' ages in the film. 3 Idiots, which also starred Boman Irani and Kareena Kapoor, was an all-time blockbuster, becoming the first Hindi film to gross ₹400 crore.

R Madhavan's future projects

Madhavan will next be seen in Karan Johar’s Aap Jaisa Koi, his second collaboration with the producer after Kesari: Chapter 2. The film will bring back Madhavan in a romantic role with Fatima Sana Shaikh in the lead. Interestingly, Madhavan's character is a 48-year-old Sanskrit teacher, while Fatima plays a French professor who is 28. Directed by Vivek Soni, the Netflix film is yet to have a release date. Madhavan is also shooting for De De Pyaar De 2, which features Ajay Devgn and Rakul Preet Singh. The sequel is directed by Anshul Sharma and is slated to release in theatres on November 14 this year.