Ranganathan Madhavan was born on 1 June 1970 in Jamshedpur, Bihar, India, in a Tamil family. Jamshedpur is now in Jharkhand. He studied electronics and was also active in public speaking and extracurricular activities during his younger years. He represented India as a cultural ambassador to Canada and later received military training in the United Kingdom through the National Cadet Corps.
Before entering films, Madhavan worked in television and appeared in several Hindi television serials. His breakthrough in Tamil cinema came with Alaipayuthey (2000), directed by Mani Ratnam. The success of the film established him as a popular romantic lead in South Indian cinema.
Madhavan subsequently gained a strong following in Hindi cinema with Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein (2001). He went on to appear in acclaimed and commercially successful films such as Rang De Basanti, Guru, 3 Idiots, Tanu Weds Manu, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Vikram Vedha, and Rocketry: The Nambi Effect.
In Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022), Madhavan made his directorial debut and also played the lead role of scientist Nambi Narayanan. The film received significant recognition, and Madhavan won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film as one of its producers. He was also honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026 for his contribution to Indian cinema.