Dhanush

Dhanush (born July 28, 1983, Madras [now Chennai], Tamil Nadu, India) is an Indian actor, singer, film producer, director, lyricist, and playback singer. He is known for his versatile performances in Tamil cinema (often called Kollywood, a portmanteau of Kodambakkam, a neighborhood in Chennai where the Tamil film industry is based, and Hollywood) and Hindi movies (Bollywood), gaining both popularity and critical acclaim for his intense acting and captivating screen presence. Having won two National Film Awards before he turned 40 and performed in more than 50 films and dozens of songs, Dhanush is a powerhouse of Indian cinema.

Entry into film

Dhanush was named Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja at birth. His entry into the world of cinema was unplanned. Aspiring to be a chef, he was ready to pursue a degree in hotel management when his elder brother, Selvaraghavan, an acclaimed film director and screenwriter, convinced him to start acting in movies and follow in the family tradition (Dhanush and Selvaraghavan’s father, Kasthuri Raja, is also a director). Similar to many popular actors in Indian cinema, he decided to adopt a screen name. The title of a covert police mission, Operation Dhanush, in the Tamil movie Kuruthipunal (1995; “River of Blood”) inspired his choice.

Encouraged by his family, young Dhanush began his cinematic career as the lead in the teen drama Thulluvadho Ilamai (2002; “Exuberance of Youth”), which was directed by his father and written by his brother and went on to become a sleeper hit. With his very first film, the actor gained a firm foothold in the Tamil film industry. It was then up to Dhanush to carve out a unique screen persona and distinguish himself from existing stars, such as Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, and Suriya.

Rise to stardom

Over the next few years, Dhanush established a distinct space for himself, redefining the role of the leading man with his departure from the conventional masculine heroes often depicted in Indian cinema. His wiry frame was not typical of a hero, and he embraced a diverse range of roles, a number of them uncommon in mainstream Tamil cinema. He portrayed characters such as a relentless stalker, a ruthless gangster, a comedic figure, and many more with remarkable mastery.

Tamil cinema

In his next venture, Kaadhal Kondein (2003; “I Fell in Love”), a psychological thriller directed by Selvaraghavan, Dhanush played the complex character of a troubled youth with a traumatic childhood who becomes obsessed with a girl who is not in love with him. Not only was the movie a hit, but it also fetched Dhanush much critical acclaim. Dhanush proved his versatility as an actor when he pivoted with ease from that intense role to a romantic comedy in his very next movie, Thiruda Thirudi (2003; “Male Thief, Female Thief”), in which he played an irresponsible prankster. The film turned out to be a blockbuster.

Dhanush’s next major leap came in 2006 when he played an antihero in a genre of film often loosely called “rowdy movies” (essentially, gangster movies). Pudhupettai (“New Hood”), a groundbreaking Tamil film directed by Selvaraghavan, shattered conventions with its gritty portrayal of flawed characters and unflinching narrative in which no character is shown to have redeeming qualities. A 22-year-old Dhanush, who did not seem like a natural choice as the lead in a gangster movie, delivered a tour-de-force performance as Kokki Kumar, a man driven by primal instincts—hunger, power, and survival. Although it had an average run at the box office, it solidified Dhanush’s credibility as an actor. Another one of Dhanush’s action movies from this time, Polladhavan (2007; “Wicked Man”), was a superhit, cementing the actor’s place as an accomplished performer and showcasing his ability to bring depth to intense, layered characters. Polladhavan was also the directorial debut of Vetrimaaran, with whom Dhanush would go on to have other noteworthy collaborations. Dhanush had other major successes in the gangster movie genre with films such as the action comedy Maari (2015; “Rain”) and the action thriller Vada Chennai (2018; “North Chennai”), the latter of which was also directed by Vetrimaaran.

Dhanush’s maturity as a performer lies in his ability to transition between vastly different, often contrasting characters. He seamlessly fit into the shoes of a cheeky, carefree boy in the humorous romance Thiruvilaiyaadal Aarambam (2006; “The Beginning of the Game”) right after playing antihero Kokki Kumar. Commenting on Dhanush’s performance in Thiruvilaiyaadal Aarambam, a reviewer said that he “epitomises the new age hero.” His boy-next-door persona in the blockbuster Yaaradi Nee Mohini (2008; “Who Are You, Pretty Lady?”) also endeared him to audiences.

Are you a student?

Get a special academic rate on Britannica Premium.

Subscribe

From 2003 onward, Dhanush was soaring as an actor with multiple films being released each year, many of which were well received at the box office and found favorable critical reviews. In 2011 he again teamed up with Vetrimaaran, in Aadukalam (“Playground”). His impeccable portrayal of an ordinary rural man who breeds and trains roosters for fights earned him a National Film Award for best actor. It was also under Vetrimaaran’s direction that Dhanush won his second National Film Award in the same category, for Asuran (2019; “Demon”), a powerful story against casteism. After winning the award, Dhanush wrote in a statement:

I woke up to this amazing news of being honoured with the prestigious national award for ASURAN. To win one best actor award is a dream, to win Two is nothing short of a blessing. I never imagined I would come this far.

The string of hits kept coming. Mayakkam Enna (2011; “What Is This Illusion?”), 3 (2012), Velaiilla Pattadhari (2014; “The Unemployed Graduate,” popularly known as VIP), and Karnan (2021) are among them. The action thriller Raayan (2024) was his 50th film as an actor and garnered about $2.93 million (24.55 crore rupees) worldwide on opening day.

Singer, director, and producer

A multifaceted talent, Dhanush wears many hats, one of which is that of a singer. His unique voice and emotive delivery have become a signature style. His journey as a playback singer (a singer who records songs for use in films) began with the song “Naatu Sarakku” (“Country Goods”) in the movie Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan (2004; “Saravanan from Pudukkottai”). He has since hit many musical milestones. A “Tanglish” (mix of Tamil and English) song “Why This Kolaveri Di?” (“Why This Murderous Rage?”) from the film 3 became a viral hit and catapulted him into musical stardom. With a catchy tune and nonsensical lyrics, it crossed language and cultural boundaries and became the first Indian video to have 100 million views on YouTube. The lyrics of this chart-busting phenomenon took Dhanush less than 20 minutes to write. Among Dhanush’s other hits is “Rowdy Baby” from Maari 2 (2018; “Rain 2”), which is one of the most-viewed Indian songs on YouTube, having amassed more than a billion views in 2020.

Having matured into a seasoned actor, Dhanush decided to don the mantle of director. His directorial debut was Pa.Paandi (2017; “Power Pandi”) under the banner of his own film production house, Wunderbar Films, established in 2010. News daily The Hindu described this heartwarming drama, which was Dhanush’s debut screenplay as well and featured a father-son relationship, as “Dhanush’s delightful debut [as director and screenwriter].” Dhanush also wrote and directed the blockbuster Raayan. His third directorial film credit, a romantic drama titled Nilavuku En Mel Ennadi Kobam (“Why Is the Moon Angry with Me?,” popularly called NEEK), is slated to be released in 2025, and Dhanush has announced a fourth, Idli Kadai (“Idli Shop”), planned for the same year.

Personal life and controversy

Dhanush is known to be an ardent devotee of Shiva, a Hindu deity. He was excited about the filming of Raanjhanaa since much of it was shot in the city of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, whose patron deity is considered to be Shiva. He often signs off his social media posts with “Om Namashivaaya,” an invocation to the deity. He even named his two sons Yatra and Linga, terms related to Shiva.

Dhanush was married to writer and director Aishwarya Rajinikanth, daughter of superstar Rajinikanth, for nearly 18 years. They met at the first screening of Kaadhal Kondein in 2003, and the following day Dhanush received a bouquet of flowers from Aishwarya. They were married the next year and welcomed their first son, Yatra, in 2006; Linga was born in 2010. The couple collaborated professionally in Aishwarya’s maiden directorial undertaking, 3. The pair decided, however, to go their separate ways in 2022 and were officially divorced in 2024.

That year Dhanush was embroiled in a legal battle with prominent Indian actress Nayanthara and her husband, director Vignesh Shivan. The 2015 film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan (“I’m a Rowdy Too”), directed by Shivan and produced by Dhanush’s Wunderbar Films, played a role in bringing Shivan and Nayanthara together. Nayanthara wanted to include excerpts from the film in a Netflix biopic about herself, Beyond the Fairytale (2024), produced by her husband. In a public letter on November 16, 2024, Nayanthara stated that she had approached Dhanush two years earlier for permission for the clips and did not receive his approval. As a workaround, Netflix used a three-second behind-the-scenes clip recorded on the actress’s mobile phone during the film’s production. Despite her request, Dhanush did not give an NOC (no-objection certificate) allowing her to use the clip. Instead, he filed a civil lawsuit in the Madras High Court suing Nayanthara and Shivan, claiming copyright infringement.

Accolades

Dhanush has numerous awards under his belt. He has won a number of South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) over the years, including those for best actor in a leading role, best lyricist, and best male playback singer. His performance in the Filmfare Awards South (annual awards recognizing excellence in cinema in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam languages) has been nothing short of stellar, with close to 10 wins as of 2024, most of them for best actor. He was the winner in the best debut actor category at the Filmfare Awards (for Hindi-language films) for Raanjhanaa in 2014. His two National Film Awards, in 2011 and 2019, stand as his highest honors.