R Madhavan, the heartthrob of millions, unlike other prominent actors, began to act after marriage, at the age of twenty-nine, and his short career has seen performances in diverse roles. His ability to charm people of all ages with his intense gaze and irresistible smile, has won him many Film fare awards. He is a Director's actor, moulding himself to suit the persona he is depicting. He is non-controversial, and has a considerable fan following. Despite Madhavan's ambition of wanting to join the army, his parents insisted to join the management school and do a degree in electronics. After completing the degree, he went on to teach communication and public speaking at workshops around India. At the Maharashtra workshop, he encountered his wife, Sarita, whom he married in 1999. Madhavan's first major film appearance was in 2000s romantic film, Alaipayuthey, in which he played a husband going through the trauma of marriage. Madhavan made his debut as a hero in Hindi movies in Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein (2001), the Hindi remake of the super hit Tamil movie Minnale. He then played the role of an action hero, for the first time in the successful project, Run. In 2007, Madhavan set up his own production company, Leukos Films, which will distribute several of his forthcoming films.