Madhavan has just become a father, with his wife giving birth to a son.

"My wife Sarita and I are the proud parents of a baby boy. Both mother and child are healthy and happy, touchwood." The baby was born in a suburban nursing home in Mumbai just after midnight Sunday.

Incidentally, the little one shares his birthday with Sarita's brother, the brother's wife and the couple's daughter. "Even my dog delivered her puppies on Aug 21 last year! It's too uncanny. But at least we can save a lot of money on a pooled birthday party," Maddy jokes.

"I was with Sarita throughout the process of our baby's birth. After seeing what she has gone through, my love and respect for my wife has increased manifold. To have carried our child for nine months and to have borne the beautiful but painful process of seeing our son come to this earth are experiences I'll hold close to my heart as long as I live," Maddy says as the baby wails in the background.

Waiting for the new arrival, Maddy hadn't slept for many nights.

He wants to call his child Vedanta..."the rest of our family willing". "I had kept aside that name. But our parents have to be taken into confidence."

Maddy's is a very democratic and closely-knit joint family. His parents live with Maddy and his wife in Chennai. And Sarita's Kolhapuri parents are constantly in and out of Madhavan's residence in Mumbai and Chennai.

"I think our parents are more happy and relieved to see us finally become parents than we are," Maddy grins.

For Maddy and his lovely wife it's late parenthood. "Yeah, I'm in the mid-30s. The feeling of being a father is indescribable. When I first held my baby in my hands...it was the most precious moment in my life.

"My son has brought me luck. My Tamil film 'Priya Sakhi' is a big hit. Now I hope my Hindi film 'Ramji Londonwale' will also be a hit. But my career's biggest hit is the one I'm holding in my hands right now."