R Madhavan may be basking in the success of the blockbuster spy thriller franchise 'Dhurandhar', but the actor's journey to stardom wasn't without its share of hard lessons. Looking back at the early phase of his career after the success of Mani Ratnam's 'Alai Payuthey', Madhavan recalled how industry insiders advised him to focus on films that would connect with audiences beyond the cities if he wanted to reach the level of superstardom enjoyed by Rajinikanth.