Indian actor R. Madhavan faces off against a ruthless banking system in financial thriller “Hisaab Barabar,” set to premiere on streaming platform ZEE5 Global.
The film, which made its world premiere at the International Film Festival of India last year, follows a meticulous railway ticket checker whose discovery of minor bank discrepancies leads him down a dangerous path of systemic corruption.
Directed by “Office Office” creator Ashwni Dhir and produced by Jio Studios and SP Cinecorp, the film pairs Madhavan with Neil Nitin Mukesh and Kirti Kulhari in a story that explores the power of ordinary citizens against institutional fraud. Madhavan plays Radhe Mohan Sharma, whose simple quest for accounting accuracy pits him against influential banker Micky Mehta (Mukesh) in an escalating battle for justice.
The story’s premise struck a personal chord with Madhavan, who found himself increasingly frustrated by unsolicited text messages and notifications about minor bank transactions. “I started feeling uncomfortable that somebody has the access to my account to either add or subtract as they will and please,” he tells Variety.
This everyday frustration mirrors the film’s larger themes about individual dignity in the face of systemic problems. “The story’s about a common man and the amount of power they wield when their convictions are challenged or when their dignity is at stake,” Madhavan explains. “And therefore, I said yes to the film immediately.”
For the veteran actor, who has maintained star status for a quarter century, embodying an ordinary citizen presented unique challenges. “The ability to portray a common man, to look vulnerable, to be able to be him after being a celebrity for 25 years, that was tough for me,” Madhavan says. “I had to dig in deep and not bring in the heroism in the body, the way the dialogues are delivered. I want to keep it as real as a common man would deliberate without having to become heroic in that effort.”
The actor credits Dhir’s guidance for helping shape the performance. “His ‘Office Office’ is actually quite a legendary series. I saw how much people adored and respected him in Delhi when we were shooting there,” he says. “So I just had to hold on to his fingers and play the character as he asked me to.”
Shot in Delhi during the post-COVID period, the production faced logistical challenges, particularly while filming in crowded railway stations. However, these public locations led to unexpected moments of validation. During night shoots, crowds of up to 500 people would gather, becoming emotionally invested in the story unfolding before them.
“There’s a scene in the film where the hero and the villain confront each other in public, in the market at night,” Madhavan recalls. “It was amazing to see how everybody had brought out their phones. They were actually discussing with each other that ‘what he’s saying is true… I’m telling you, this accounting is all fraud.’ So all of them got involved with what was being said on the scene. I’ve never seen that happen, and it was very encouraging for me, it was something quite unforgettable.”
The film arrives at a time when India’s global influence is rapidly expanding, a theme that resonates throughout the narrative. “When I say new India, I also mean the new Indian,” Madhavan explains. “The new Indian is a very empowered person. His image around the world has changed. Indians are in some very iconic positions and iconic countries and iconic platforms, and it gives a new identity to them. And with that new identity comes a new power.”
This evolving national identity brings increased responsibility, he argues. “People look at you and hope that you are the extraordinary intelligent, caring Indian that everybody assumes you to be. So we need to hold up on our civic sense, as well as our social commitment… Whatever little action you take is a reflection of the whole country.”
“Hisaab Barabar” marks part of an exceptionally productive period for Madhavan, who has completed nine films in the past two years — a striking increase from his previous output of four films over 12 years. His upcoming projects span multiple languages and genres, including “Sankaran” with Akshay Kumar and Ananya Panday; Tamil-language drama “Test” alongside Nayanthara, Siddharth and Meera Jasmine; as well as “Adhirshtasaali,” “Bridge,” “De De Pyaar De 2,” “Aap Jaisa Koi” and “Dhurandhar.”
Known for his meticulous approach to character preparation, Madhavan has built a distinguished career spanning both Tamil-language and Hindi-language cinema over the past 25 years. After making his breakthrough in Tamil romantic dramas, he successfully crossed over to Hindi cinema while maintaining a strong presence in both industries. His recent directorial debut “Rocketry” demonstrated his expanding creative ambitions. The actor takes particular pride in maintaining linguistic authenticity across his bilingual career. “I’m very particular the fact that my accents don’t overlap,” he explains. “As a Tamil actor, I want to make sure I don’t bring Hindi-ism into the Tamil language. And as a Hindi actor, I don’t want reflection of a Tamil into my Hindi. So what I do is I make it a point to completely memorize all my lines… doing that gives me the freedom to perform the way I want to.”
This attention to detail extends to his work in “Hisaab Barabar,” where he employs the same rigorous preparation, particularly during a scene requiring complex calculations that was shot in one take without any cuts. “It was also imperative for the character, because if I’m telling you I’m good with numbers, and if I’m telling you that I’m in love with it, and I’m not making a mistake — to see an actor fumble and have too many cuts on that, it just defeats the purpose of trying to establish the character.”
The film will stream from Jan. 24 in the Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages on ZEE5 Global.