Madhavan - Chocolate Hero

Game Host


Madhavan became was announced as the host of Sony Entertainment Television's Deal Ya No Deal in October 2005 with a payment of Rs. 10 million per separate series. The show was being produced by Miditech, in association with Endemol BV. Deal Ya No Deal is a game show, testing the participant for speed, reflexes, wit, cunning and gaming skills. The contestant may win up to Rs. 10 million in a show.

The contestant faces 22 cash boxes, containing cheques varying from a small amounts to Rs 10 million. Without knowing the contents, the contestant picks a single sealed box, for themselves to keep until the end of the show. It premired on November 23, 2005 on Sony Entertainment Television and aired on three nights each week. The first series had a set similar to the UK version, and the theme song and music cues were the same as those used in the Dutch version. Contestants held the cases. There is a top prize of 1 crore rupees ($10 million), and the lowest prize was a breath freshener, called a Chlor-mint.

Madhavan as shown presenting, Deal Ya No Deal

Madhavan quit as the lead anchor of the game show, Deal Ya No Deal in January 2006. Madhavan claimed he was unhappy with the way the shoot schedules were handled by the production house. According to the actor, when he took on the show, he had made it clear that he would continue with his South film assignments, and as the show was being filmed in Mumbai, he had found it hard to keep travelling throughout India from Chennai to film the ten days a month he had signed up for.

The ever-changing look of the show meant Madhavan had to constantly rehearse. Madhavan also added that he was restricted by the producers to spend one day rehearsing technically, which left him with fatigue. There were also some testing times, like when he shot for the show immediately after the funeral of his grandfather, when there was a celebrity special. Mandira Bedi replaced Madhavan as the anchor in February for Series 2 of the game show. Since then she has also left the set-up for personal unconfirmed reasons.

Mobile Gaming Character

A Mumbai based game development company, Paradox signed a worldwide contract Madhavan to create six mobile-based games based on him and his film roles. While launching the first game, Madhavan's MiG in Chennai, Madhavan expressed his delight at being involved in projects aimed at young people. The 'paper-player' model would cost Rs 5 per download, while a one-time download would range from Rs.50-99, he said. The games, which consists of three levels, would be available on Reliance, Idea and Spice mobile services.

Madhavan's MIG game will feature the actor make a reprise of his Rang De Basanti pilot role and the game will be based around basic steering of the planes. In the other game titled Madhavan, the player will have to help the actor get to the premiere of his latest movie evading the paparazzi. Paradox has been developing games for wireless devices, apart from single and multi-player games for PC, web and allied platforms since 2001. Madhavan said the concept of couple of the games had been derived from his role of a pilot in the recent Hindi blockbuster, Rang De Basanti, in which he flew an MiG 29 aircraft.

PETA Campaign

Madhavan is a campaigner for animals through PETA,India's new youth program. In a brand-new public service announcement he released an e-card called "Change Everything", Madhavan encourages young people to go vegetarian. Madhavan's PSA showed footage of chickens who are crammed into crowded, filthy sheds as well as the treatment of cattle during slaughter. The video contains music by international vegan star Moby and colorful photographs and quotes from other vegetarian celebrities, like Mallika Sherawat, Bryan Adams, Gwyneth Paltrow, Pamela Anderson and Anil Kumble. All these stars and Madhavan campaigned for the project.

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