New Delhi – Actor R Madhavan has stepped into the spotlight of the ongoing debate surrounding the NCERT syllabus revision, voicing strong concerns about the historical representation of Indian dynasties in school textbooks. As reports confirm the removal of entire chapters on the Mughals and Delhi Sultanate from Class 7 books, Madhavan has questioned the long-standing lack of balanced coverage in India’s academic curriculum.
Madhavan Speaks on Syllabus Bias
In an interview with Indian Media outlet News18, the actor reflected on his own experience with the school history syllabus and highlighted glaring disparities in how various Indian civilizations were portrayed.
“I might get into trouble for saying this, but I’ll still say it. 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” ,Madhavan said.
He pointed out that while the Mughals and British ruled India for approximately 800 years, the Chola Empire’s legacy stretches over 2,400 years, encompassing early advancements in maritime trade, naval dominance, and cultural influence across Asia, including temples built as far as Angkor Wat.
“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”.
Raising Questions of Historical Narrative
Madhavan also questioned the intent and origins of the academic syllabus, pointing to a lack of representation of ancient Indian traditions and languages.
“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”.
NCERT Controversy Explained
The latest revision by NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) reportedly eliminates all references to the Mughal dynasty and the Delhi Sultanate from Class 7 history textbooks. This move follows previous syllabus rationalisation efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and is now being linked to the implementation of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023, a component of the National Education Policy (NEP).
The updated curriculum introduces chapters on dynasties reflecting Indian ethos, cultural festivals like Maha Kumbh, and flagship national initiatives, aiming to integrate Indian philosophies, knowledge systems, and local context into mainstream education.
Madhavan’s Cinematic Response
Madhavan shared that his most recent film, Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh, is part of his effort to reshape historical narratives through storytelling. The courtroom drama features Akshay Kumar as Advocate C. Sankaran Nair, who legally challenged the British Empire for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, with Madhavan playing Advocate Neville McKinley.
“If we’re correcting historical narratives, we shouldn’t be criticised for taking small creative liberties, but rather held accountable if the outcome deviates from historical truth”.
The film, backed by Dharma Productions, Cape of Good Films, and Leo Media Collective, has received critical and audience acclaim, contributing to the conversation around historical memory and representation in India.
