R Madhavan baffled by India's growing K-pop obsession: 'Kids are learning Korean... How did we lose our audience?'

R Madhavan recently voiced a sentiment familiar to many parents and observers of contemporary pop culture, expressing both surprise and slight concern over the deep fascination Indian children have developed for K-pop, to the extent that many are even becoming fluent in Korean. In a recent interview, the actor shared his thoughts on this burgeoning trend.

In a conversation with IndiaTV, he said, “In the South—and honestly, across most of India—K-pop has taken over popular culture.” He highlighted the fact that numerous young people have learned Korean and even use it as a sort of secret language, unintelligible to their parents. Madhavan shared his concerns about how K-pop culture has become deeply ingrained in youth culture and wondered what made their storytelling so different from Indian cinema—adding a touch of humor to his reflections.

Madhavan's last cinematic appearance was in the Netflix film Test.

The actor also reflected on the various challenges filmmakers today face. He pointed out that these hurdles are multifaceted, encompassing everything from shifting audience preferences to broader cultural changes that influence viewing choices.

“Back in the day, when we went to see a film in the theatres, we didn’t have many options in the food and beverages department. It was either popcorn or samosa. But today, there is a huge decision that has to be made there,” Madhavan remarked.

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He further elaborated on the modern movie-going experience, saying, “You have to take your vehicle, park it somewhere, pay for the parking, brave the weather, marshal your family to the theatre, rush through security—and just before you enter, there’s the wafting fragrance of the popcorn, which I’m not sure is even fresh.”

Madhavan also discussed how distractions like mobile phones and the wide range of menu options available within theatres compete for the audience's attention during a film.

“Suddenly, you see a flash of light because someone is reading the menu. And some even order pani puri and use their mobile phones to figure out what pani they’re having. We have to fight all this to get your attention. And, God forbid, if the film isn’t engaging… then the parents are at loggerheads about the money wasted, and one of them has to rush back to the parking lot just before the film ends to beat the rush of vehicles leaving the theatres. It’s almost traumatic… and if you irritate them with your film, they’re not going to forgive you.”

Beyond Test, R Madhavan has several upcoming projects, including Kesari: Chapter 2, in which he will share the screen with Akshay Kumar and Ananya Panday. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on April 18.