R. Madhavan Shares Insights on Love, Trust, and Financial Harmony in a 25-Year Marriage

After 29 years together, A R Rahman and Saira Banu have decided to part ways. Vandana Shah, who was involved in their separation process, shared her views in interviews. In one conversation, she asked actor R. Madhavan about the challenges marriages face and the importance of financial planning for couples.

Madhavan reflected on his early career and how he and his wife Sarita managed to build a strong relationship despite challenges. He shared, “During my early days as an actor, I was known as the ‘chocolate boy,’ and many girls admired me. Understandably, this made Sarita feel a bit insecure. Such feelings can strain a marriage.”

He explained how financial decisions helped bring stability to their relationship. “I always admired how my parents managed their marriage. They told me they chose to stay together for life, focusing on what could go right instead of worrying about what could go wrong. They also had a joint bank account for everything, which I thought was a great idea.”

Madhavan applied this in his own marriage, saying, “If Sarita felt insecure about finances, we’d set up a joint account and make it clear that it belongs to both of us equally. I trust her, and I hope she trusts me too. This approach has really strengthened our bond.”

He added, “I’ve never questioned how much I earn—Sarita handles all our finances. In fact, all our cars and properties are in both our names. I’m one of those people who rely on credit cards because my wife manages everything else.”

Madhavan also shared the story of how he met Sarita. Before his acting career, he worked as a public speaking coach, and Sarita was one of his students training to be an air hostess. “She invited me to dinner to thank me after she got her first job, and that’s where our love story began,” he said.

After dating for eight years, Madhavan and Sarita got married in 1999 following traditional Tamil customs. The next year, Madhavan’s acting career took off with Mani Ratnam’s hit film Alaipayuthey, marking the start of his success in the film industry.