R Madhavan has opened up about his approach to parenting and the close bond he shares with his son, Vedaant Madhavan. The actor revealed that he began treating Vedaant like an adult when he was very young, making it clear that his opinions mattered to him.In a recent conversation on The SS Podcast, Madhavan said he never wanted to “mollycoddle” his son and instead encouraged him to express his views and make his own decisions.“From a very young age, I treated my son Vedaant like an adult. I never mollycoddled him. When Vedaant was five years old, I would ask him for his opinion on what to do. He has grown up knowing that his opinion matters to me,” he said.The actor acknowledged that children inevitably make mistakes but said his focus has been on helping Vedaant learn from experiences rather than repeating the mistakes he made himself.
R Madhavan says Vedaant is ‘very blunt’ about his films
Madhavan also revealed that Vedaant does not hold back when giving his opinion about his father’s work. According to the actor, his son is particularly honest when reacting to his films.“Vedaant is very raw and blunt when it comes to reacting to my films. If he likes a film, he praises it a lot,” Madhavan said.He recalled Vedaant’s reactions to some of his most acclaimed performances. After watching Vikram Vedha, his son hugged him, while Rocketry: The Nambi Effect prompted him to tell his father that he was proud of him.Madhavan also shared that Vedaant watched Dhurandhar with his friends in the US and was impressed by its trailer. The actor said he values this candid feedback from his son.
Madhavan on balancing his career and fatherhood
Madhavan has previously spoken about the values he inherited from his parents and how they influenced his own approach to raising Vedaant.In an interview with Mashable Middle East last year, the actor discussed the pressure many parents feel to spend “quality time” with their children. He argued that being physically present for every event is not necessarily the most important aspect of parenting, particularly for parents with demanding careers.Recalling a conversation with Vedaant when he was around six, Madhavan said his son once complained that he did not spend enough “quality time” with him.The actor explained that his own father had not been able to attend every school event but had always been available when he genuinely needed support. Madhavan said he wanted to offer Vedaant the same assurance.He told his son that while his profession might prevent him from attending every school function, he would always be available whenever Vedaant needed him, regardless of the circumstances.
R Madhavan says values matter more than constant presence
Madhavan has maintained that parenting is less about being available every minute and more about giving children the values and confidence they need to navigate life.He has also said that there is never enough time to balance a demanding career and family life, but he does not regret the choices he has made as a father.Vedaant, meanwhile, has carved out his own identity as a competitive swimmer and has represented India in international swimming competitions. Madhavan has consistently supported his son’s sporting ambitions.On the work front, R Madhavan was last seen in GDN, a biographical film based on inventor Gopalswamy Doraiswamy Naidu. The film hit theatres on August 7.
