Madhavan was a teacher, Sarita Birje was his student, but they didn't date then. Later, a simple dinner changed their lives

R Madhavan is currently gearing up for the release of the much-awaited movie Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge. The movie is the sequel of 2025 blockbuster movie Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar. The film stars Ranveer Singh, Sara Arjun, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi and Sanjay Dutt in key roles. Amid all this, an old clip is going viral in which Madhavan shared his love story and how he met his now-wife, Sarita Birje.

R Madhavan's love story

During an interview with Mashable, the superstar talked about his two-decade-long marriage with Sarita Birje and recalled how they first met while he was coaching her cousin in public speaking and communication skills. He said, "I was in Kolhapur. She used to be my student. She had come to Kolhapur to meet her cousin, who was enrolled in his classes. She decided to accompany her cousin to my classes and found my teaching interesting."



While recalling the good ol' days, the Aap Jaisa Koi actor revealed that they didn't date each other when she was a student. After finishing the course and later becoming an air hostess, she invited him to dinner to thank him. “We went to a hotel in Kolhapur for dinner, and since then… she has been treating me,” he shared with a smile.

For the unversed, the couple dated for eight years before getting married in 1999 in a traditional Tamil ceremony. Around the same time, his career also began to take a positive turn after years of struggle. Soon after the wedding, he bagged his breakthrough role in Mani Ratnam’s Alai Payuthey (2000), which brought him instant fame and changed the course of his career in the film industry.

R. Madhavan and Sarita Birje became parents six years after their wedding. In 2005, they welcomed a baby boy and named him Vedaant. Unlike his father, who chose acting, Vedaant developed a strong interest in swimming. In 2019, he made the country proud by winning a silver medal for India at the Asian Age Group Swimming Championship. And, still breaking records.


As parents, the duo focus on raising him with strong values. They encourage Vedaant to learn from his mistakes and lead a normal life. The couple makes sure he plays with children outside the film circle, stays humble and speaks respectfully to everyone. They are also careful that he does not misuse his father’s fame or take his privileged background for granted.

About R Madhavan's projects

Meanwhile, on the work front, R Madhavan is all set for Dhurandhar 2, releasing in theatres on March 19, 2026. For the sequel, not Netflix, JioHotstar has secured the digital rights. Ahead of the release, the makers have officially dropped the teaser, and now fans are waiting for the trailer. The film will clash with Rocky Yash's Toxic. Directed by Geetu Mohandas, the movie also features Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria, Rukmini Vasanth, and Tovino Thomas in key roles.


Besides this, he also worked on the Tamil project Legacy, directed by Charukesh Sekar and produced by Kalyan Subramanian and Stone Bench Studio. The release date will be out soon. The cast includes R. Madhavan, Abhishek Banerjee, Nimisha Sajayan, Gautham Karthik and Gulshan Devaiah. Stay tuned for more updates!