Actor R Madhavan says multilingual upbringing helped him dodge language conflict in Maharashtra row

National Award-winning actor R Madhavan, known for his work across Hindi and South Indian cinema, has commented on the escalating debate in Maharashtra over the Hindi-Marathi language issue, stating that language has “never been a barrier” in his personal or professional life.

He credited his multilingual background—speaking Tamil, Hindi, and Marathi—along with his schooling in Kolhapur, for a seamless experience across linguistic regions.

“I speak Tamil. I speak Hindi. And I have studied in Kolhapur also. I have learnt Marathi as well. So, I have never had any problem because of language … neither because of knowing it nor because of not knowing it,” he told IANS.

Madhavan's remarks come amid major controversy over the Maharashtra government’s April mandate requiring Hindi as a third language in state-run primary schools, alongside Marathi and English.

The move, in line with national education policy, triggered protests and alleged incidents of harassment of non-Marathi speakers by regional political groups, escalating linguistic tensions in the state.

Several celebrities have shared their views on the issue:

Udit Narayan, a veteran playback singer, expressed that all Indian languages deserve equal respect, highlighting the role of Marathi in Maharashtra as his “karma bhoomi” while advocating broader linguistic inclusivity.

Ajay Devgn, when asked about the row, responded in characteristic style with “Aata Majhi Satakli”—avoiding direct commentary.

Shilpa Shetty acknowledged awareness of the row and noted Bollywood’s multilingual nature, opting not to weigh into the debate directly.

On the career front, Madhavan recently starred in Netflix’s ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ alongside Fatima Sana Shaikh, and is gearing up for upcoming projects like ‘Dhurandhar’ and ’De De Pyaar De 2.