Happy birthday, R Madhavan: His Bollywood cult-classic films

R Madhavan gained popularity as Tamil Cinema's chocolate boy. He is one of the few actors from the South Indian film industry who entered Hindi cinema and left a mark with his acting brilliance. As he celebrates his 53rd birthday on Thursday (June 1), we take a look at the actor's best Bollywood films that became cult classics.

Mani Ratnam's 2007 movie Guru starred Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the lead roles. It also featured Madhavan as Shyam Saxena and Mithun Chakraborty as 'Nanaji' Manik Dasgupta. The film did average business at the box office but is touted as a cult cinema of Ratnam's career. Its lifetime collections stand at Rs. 45.49 crore, reportedly.

Starring Madhavan and Kangana Ranaut in the lead, Tanu Weds Manu is one of the most successful franchises in Hindi cinema. The original film was released in 2011 followed by its sequel in 2015. While Tanu Weds Manu Returns was a blockbuster hit, the prequel was an average box-office success. However, both films received cult status and are a hit with the audience.

Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Rang De Basanti starred Aamir Khan, Siddharth, Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Kapoor, Atul Kulkarni, Allice Patten, and Sharman Joshi in the lead. Madhavan played a supporting role as veteran actor Tanuja's son and Soha's fiance. His role was short in the film but important to the storyline. The movie continues to be a favorite of many.

In the early 2000s when Madhavan debuted in Hindi cinema with Rehnna Hai Terre Dil Mein, he became an instant favorite of the audience. Many young boys connected with Madhavan's character of Maddy. As surprising as it may sound, the film which also starred Dia Mirza and Saif Ali Khan, failed at the box office but gained cult status.

Madhavan returned to work with Aamir and Joshi once again in the 2009 movie 3 Idiots. Starring the trio in the lead, the movie also saw Kareena Kapoor Khan, Boman Irani, and Mona Singh playing important roles. The critically acclaimed film performed well at the domestic and international box office. Its lifetime collection is said to be around Rs. 460 crore (gross).