'3' Idiots

R Madhavan cannot stop smiling after scoring a huge hit in 3 Idiots, co-starring Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Sharman Joshi.

The actor's performance has been much appreciated, and Bollywood seems to have opened its doors even wider to him.

He tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf how his life has changed after the film's release.

How is life after the success of 3 Idiots?

I think we moved from happiness to supreme happiness to ecstasy. Now, we're numb. I don't know how to react any more because the film has broken Sholay's record. It has touched people the way we expected it to. I have seldom met someone, who has not seen the film more than once. So obviously, the film has stuck a chord somewhere. I think (director) Raju Hirani is the true superstar of the film.

But how has your life changed after its release?

Let us put this way: I cannot eat paani puri on the road. But I'm not complaining.

People have come and told me that they could open up and speak to their fathers in real life just like my character, Farhan Qureshi did in 3 Idiots.