Madhavan loses 15 kg for his next film

Bollywood actor R. Madhavan is all set to play a boxer in a Hindi-Tamil bi-lingual on a boxer's life called Laal to be directed a Mani Ratnam's erstwhile assistant Sudha Kongara.

The 44-year-old actor was in in Los Angeles for the last 6 months preparing for his next film. The story is apparently partially inspired by Mohammad Ali's life .

Apparently, Madhavan has also lost 15 kilos to look like a boxer.

Boxing films are the flavour of the season. While Priyanka Chopra gets ready to wow critics and masses alike with her Mary Kom act in director Omang Kumar's bio-pic, Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra will play pugilistic siblings in Karan Malhotra's adaptation of the Hollywood film Warriors.

A source close to the project said, "The director has taken the core of Mohammad Ali's life in the ring and added fictional flourishes to it. Madhavan who has known Sudha from the time he worked with Mani in Alai Payuthe, Kannathil Muttamital and Guru planned and plotted the film together with the director and then took nearly a year off to prepare for his part."

Madhavan brought in his birthday on June 1 with his close friends. "It was just small dinner here with close friends, that's all. Unfortunately my wife Sarita and my son Vedant couldn't be here for my birthday. They are joining me later this week. We'll be spending a 3-week holiday together. After the kind of training I've gone through during the past months I think I've earned myself a break."

About his longish break from the screen Madhavan said, "It is very important for every actor to take that time off to re-invent himself. Otherwise you end up being a parody of yourself. After Vettai in Tamil and Jodi Breakers in Hindi in 2012. I needed time to introspect. I think I am ready to start a new phase in my career."