'3 Idiots' vs 'Five-Point Someone': Madhavan and Chetan Bhagat spar, Twitter calls it 'Decoupled' gimmick

Actor R. Madhavan and author Chetan Bhagat kickstarted a playful Twitter spat yesterday, all for the sake of promoting their recently released Netflix show, ‘Decoupled’, and fans are loving their repartees.


It all began with a movies vs books debate, with Madhavan baiting Bhagat into an argument by saying that films are better than books, and following it up by hailing ‘3 Idiots’ a better work than Bhagat’s book, ‘Five Point Someone: What not to do at IIT’ on which the movie was based.



Bhagat, of course, had a clever comeback, and immediately asked Madhavan to ‘not preach to the choir’ and advised the actor to read his books.


The 52-year-old actor then asked Bhagat why he acted in his Netflix show, ‘Decoupled’, if he was so partial to books, and plugged the show in his tweet. Bhagat was quick to point out the not-so-subtle plugging, and said that he prefers a Pulitzer to a pan masala-sponsored award show any day.


Madhavan too, had his priorities known, and told the author that he would pick Rs 300 crore club over a bestseller, to which Bhagat replied, “Well I prefer to be known as Chetan Bhagat over being known as Farhan from that one movie.”

Madhavan fielded Bhagat’s taunt deftly by saying, “I'm not known just as Farhan. I'm also known as Manu from Tanu Weds Manu, Kartikh from Alaipayuthey, and my favourite, Maddy kyunki mein rehta hoon sab ke dil mein.” His reply seemed to have impressed Bhagat as he said, if this were a writing test, Madhavan would have passed with his answer.
Fans too had several fun takes on their Twitter banter. While one of them said it's time for Bhagat to get the Pulitzer, the other said it might be a little far-fetched given the kind of mass-pleasing writing he does.




One of the fans also called out the entire banter as a publicity ploy, and Madhavan happily confessed that the spat was indeed 'scripted' and called Bhagat his 'bro'. Bhagat, in turn, reposted Madhavan's reply with a heart emoji.

Ironically, Madhavan plays the role of Arya Iyer, a writer, in the Netflix original, ‘Decoupled’. In the show, his marriage with his estranged wife, played by Surveen Chawla of the ‘Sacred Games’ fame is on the rocks, but the couple has to keep up the facade of a happy family for the sake of their tween daughter who is terrified of her parents divorcing. Bhagat makes a cameo in the show, as India’s bestselling author.