'Where’s our real history?': R Madhavan criticises Indian history textbooks

Actor R Madhavan has spoken out about how history is represented in Indian school curricula, particularly highlighting the lack of focus on the country’s rich southern history and ancient traditions. In a recent exclusive interview with News18 Showsha, the 54-year-old actor, known for his role in Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh, raised concerns over the limited representation of India's diverse historical narrative in textbooks.

“I might get into trouble for saying this, but I’ll still say it,” Madhavan began, addressing the topic candidly. “When I studied history in school, there were eight chapters on the Mughals, two on the Harappa and Mohenjo-daro civilisations, four on British rule and the freedom struggle, and just one chapter on the southern kingdoms, the Cholas, Pandyas, Pallavas, and Cheras."

The actor went on to stress how this portrayal downplays significant aspects of Indian history. “The British and the Mughals ruled us for close to 800 years, but the Chola Empire is 2,400 years old. They were pioneers of sea travel and naval power.

They had spice routes that extended to Rome. Where’s that part of our history? Where’s the mention of us building temples all the way to Angkor Wat with our mighty naval forces? Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism spread to China. People in Korea speak half Tamil because that’s how far our language reached. And we encapsulated all of this in just one chapter,” he pointed out.

Madhavan's comments come in the wake of ongoing debates surrounding India's history education, especially in light of recent changes by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The organisation recently removed sections on the Mughal Empire and the Delhi Sultanate from Class 7 history textbooks. These sections have been replaced with content on topics like ‘sacred geography,’ the Maha Kumbh festival, and government schemes such as Make in India and Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao.

The actor expressed his frustration with this shift in focus. “Whose narrative is this? Who decided the syllabus? Tamil is the oldest language in the world, but nobody knows about it. The scientific knowledge hidden in our culture is being mocked right now,” Madhavan said, urging a more inclusive and balanced approach to history teaching in India.

Madhavan also defended Kesari Chapter 2, saying that filmmakers like him are simply trying to share the untold truths of history. He said, “If we have to set things right, don’t blame us for taking small liberties. Tell us only if we’ve changed the narrative. Blame us only if we come up with an outcome that isn’t true to history. Don’t blame us for bringing the truth about history. The easiest way to discredit us is by saying that we took liberties.”

The actor also took a strong stance against how the British have portrayed India's past, specifically referring to General Dyer’s infamous actions during the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. “General Dyer and his granddaughter said we were a set of terrorists and looters who deserved to be shot. He stopped shooting because he ran out of bullets.

How can you whitewash history to such an extent that you create a false narrative? Madhavan questioned.