R Madhavan is considered as one of the most versatile actors in Indian cinema with films like ‘Alaipayuthey’, ‘Rehna Hai Terre Dil Mein’ and in recent times, ‘The Rocketery’, ‘Dhurandhar’. But unlike many stars whose rise is defined by years of rejection and struggle, her journey was shaped by unwavering self-belief and the courage to dream big. Before films became a part of his life, the actor had written about his biggest ambition as a teenager—to be “rich and famous”. Madhavan remembers writing down his life goals while he was in Class 12. “I wrote in my ambitions that I want to be a jack of all trades and a master of some in my 12th grade in Canada. I wrote that as a 17-year-old. It’s still in my notebook. I wrote that I want to be a rich and famous actor and a master of all words,” he said. old conversation with: Chetan Bhagat, Reflecting on the power of ambition, Madhavan said that people should not put limits on their dreams, even if they seem impossible to others. He credits his own journey as proof that believing in the unthinkable can sometimes come true.“There’s no limit to dreaming and you can’t limit it either. I always say, ‘Be silly. Have incredible dreams. Dreams that make others think you’re crazy.’ It is very important to dream big. I never expected that one day Amitabh Bachchan I will make a wish on my birthday. This is a big thing. He is a legend. Just look at my journey. There was a time when I was away in Jamshedpur, watching his movies, and then came a time when I was standing with him, making films with him. I showed it and I knew it would happen one day. You should never be afraid to dream,” he added.Interestingly, despite writing about his dream of becoming an actor, Madhavan never envisioned working on a film career. During that time, he made a successful living as a public speaking and communication skills trainer, earning well and enjoying the life he had built for himself. Acting came into his life by chance.“I didn’t aspire to be an actor. I didn’t know that I would become an actor one day. I came to Bombay to teach communication skills and public speaking. I was earning between Rs 70,000 and Rs 80,000 a month at that time. It was a lot of money in those days and I used it all. Almost at the same time, I wanted to approach me, at the same time. thinking it was a scam. But that’s how I got into acting,” he remembered.That unexpected encounter changed the course of his life. Soon after, Madhavan landed the lead role in: Mani Ratnamby ‘Alaipayuthey’ (2000), the romantic drama that became a critical and commercial success. The movie catapulted him to stardom and paved the way for an illustrious career in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu cinema.