Madhavan forayed into Bollywood in 2001 with Rehnaa Hai Tere Dil Mein opposite Dia Mirza. The film did average business at the box office but made him a household name. He was then seen in dud Dil Vil Pyar Vyar (2002) before taking a sabbatical from Bollywood to concentrate on Tamil films. And he succeeded in making it big in the south.

Three years later, the actor resurfaced in Hindi films with Ramji London waley.Lady Luck smiled on him in 2006 and his flagging Hindi film career got a new lease of life with a cameo in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s super hit Rang De Basanti. A pivotal role in Mani Ratnam’s Guru (2007). He has since then been seen in cameo appearances in movies like Delhii Heights (2007) and critically acclaimed Mumbai Meri Jaan (2008).

The actor currently has a bevy of Hindi projects in his kitty – 13B, Sikandar, Three Idiots, Teen Patti and Sunglass, to name a few.