Dhanush
Encyclopedia
Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja (born on 28 July 1983), better known by his stage name
Dhanush , is an India
n film actor, occasional playback singer
and lyricist, working in the Tamil film industry. His filmography includes critically acclaimed films like Kadhal Kondein
, Pudhupettai
and Aadukalam, for which he won the National Film Award for Best Actor
and commercially successful films like Thiruda Thirudi
, Thiruvilayadal Arambam, Polladhavan, Yaaradi Nee Mohini
and Padikathavan
. He is the son of Kasthuri Raja
and the brother of Selvaraghavan
, both directors in Tamil cinema.
in the Thulluvadho Ilamai
with fellow debutant, Sherin
. Upon release, the film fetch up big reviews and was a blockbuster, following the story of his character, Mahesh, and how his friends help him elope with his girlfriend, Kezia.
But Dhanush's breakthrough film was in his brother Selvaraghavan
's debut directorial venture, Kadhal Kondein
. The film portrayed Dhanush as a mentally-disturbed youth, Vinodh, who yearned for the love of his friend, played by Sonia Agarwal
, eventually turning possessive over her. Upon release, the film won critical acclaim and became a commercial success, catapulting Dhanush into the main foray of actors in Tamil films. Furthermore his next film, released later in 2003, Thiruda Thirudi
became a blockbuster. Appearing in his first hero-centric film, Dhanush earned Good reviews for his portrayal opposite debutant Chaya Singh
. Furthermore, his performance in the song, Manmadha Rasa, was appreciated, subsequently earning the song cult status.
, Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan
opposite Aparna Pillai, was lamented by critics as a "poor film". This was followed by Ramana
's Sullan
, which received negative reviews. However the film, which had Sindhu Tolani
as the lead heroine, was dubbed into Telugu as Maurya. The third and most-criticized failure was Dreams
alongside two new heroines. The film directed by his father, like their previous venture was released with reviews claiming it was another adult film. This hampered the film's progress, and the film remains Dhanush's biggest failure till date.
In 2005, Dhanush had two average grossers in Devathaiyai Kanden and the much-hyped Balu Mahendra
's Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam
. The former was a commercial venture, directed by debutant Boopathy Pandian
, which despite receiving average reviews on Dhanush's performance, was dubbed into Telugu
, while the latter, an off-beat venture, which featured Dhanush opposite Priyamani
, received rave reviews but failed to succeed at the box-office.
. The film, re-united him with his brother after their successful previous venture, pitted him against two prominent heroines Sneha and Sonia Agarwal
. The movie is about the rites of passages in the life and times of an everyday-man who ends up as a dreaded gangster, 'Kokki' Kumar, the role portrayed by Dhanush. A critic praised Dhanush's realistic portrayal, claiming that "as the innocent boy who transmogrifies into a bloody criminal, Dhanush is utterly believable. The subtle changes in his body language and his ability to give every expression a deeper meaning make the character more interesting. This is certainly one of his better performances." The film which became universally critically praised, failed to relate to Tamil Nadu
audiences and ended up being an above average grosser at the box-office, despite the positive reviews. The film fared marginally better, in the Telugu dubbed version, titled Dhoolpet. Dhanush achieved his first hit in three years with the commercial entertainer Thiruvilayadal Arambam, alongside Shriya Saran
and Prakash Raj
. The comedy film showed the relationship between a poor man who loved the sister of a businessman. The film was well-received by critics and audiences alike.
Dhanush's first release of 2007, Parattai Engira Azhagu Sundaram
, bombed at the box-office, gaining negative reviews in the process. The film, which was a remake of the successful Kannada language film, Jogi
, starred him opposite Meera Jasmine
However, his second film Polladhavan released during Diwali
2007, became a blockbuster at the box office, in which his performance was raved. Polladhavan, based on 1948–Italian
neorealist
The Bicycle Thieves, featured Dhanush opposite Divya Spandana, and the film's "fresh screenplay" by director Vetrimaran helped the film become a super hit.
The remake of a successful Telugu film directed by his brother, was the plotline for Dhanush's first 2008 release. Directed by debutant M. Jawahar, Yaaradi Nee Mohini
with Nayantara
became a big blockbuster at the box-office. He later appeared in a cameo appearance, for his father-in-law Rajnikanth
's venture, Kuselan
, being portrayed as himself in a song sequence. His subsequent venture was Suraj's Padikathavan
opposite Tamannaah Bhatia which had a January 2009 release. His performance was praised, with Sify
.com citing that "Dhanush is in top form in his dance" and "has improved a lot in action", with claims that the climax fight featuring him was "outstanding" and the film had become a super hit, giving Dhanush a "hat-trick of successes". His following 2010 films Kutty
and Uthama Puthiran
, both collaborations with director Mithran Jawahar
, received mixed reviews and but were decent hits.
His first 2011 release was Aadukalam, marking his second collaboration with Vetrimaran
, which Dhanush had shot for over a period of three years. Dhanush played the role of a local cockfighter, KP Karuppu and described the venture as his "dream project" during production. The film gained very positive reviews and won six prizes at the 58th National Film Awards
, with Dhanush receiving accolades for his performance including the National Film Award for Best Actor
, becoming the youngest actor to win the award. Dhanush appeared in an extended guest appearance in Subramania Siva's Seedan
, portraying the role of a god
. His next two ventures were action-masala films
, Mappillai, a remake of his father-in-law's same-titled 1989 comedy flick and Venghai by Hari
, which both opened to mixed reviews.
His forthcoming venture includes another collaboration with his brother in Mayakkam Enna and he will also be seen in 3
directed by his wife, Aishwarya Rajinikanth with Shruti Haasan
paired opposite him. The film particularly gained high popularity prior to the release, after the single track "Why This Kolaveri Di
", composed, penned and sung by Dhanush went viral.
by its composer Yuvan Shankar Raja
and collaborated again with him in his brother Selvaraghavan's directorial, Pudhupettai
. He sung further numbers in Selvaraghavan's films Aayirathil Oruvan and Mayakkam Enna; the former featured him alongside his wife Aishwarya Rajinikanth. His biggest success become the song "Why this Kolaveri Di
" from his upcoming film 3
, directed by his wife. The song became viral on internet and gained overwhelming response. Selvaraghavan disclosed on Twitter that the tunes of the songs "Kadhal En Kadhal" and "Why this Kolaveri di" were composed entirely by Dhanush himself.
as Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja . He finished higher education at St. John's Matriculation Higher Secondary School Alwarthirunagar
and entered acting, after being pressurised by his brother, director Selvaraghavan
. Dhanush was married on 18 November 2004 to actor Rajinikanth's daughter Aishwarya. They have two sons, named Yatra (b. 10 October 2006) and Linga (b. 21 June 2010).
under the name "Dhanush Kasthuri Raja" was not him and was a fake user, taking his identity. The account had nearly 4000 friends added, which the actor claimed were mostly global fans of his. He ordered the user to deactivate the account immediately, before any intentions of tarnishing his image, while he takes up the issue with cyber-crime authorities.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Dhanush , is an India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n film actor, occasional playback singer
Playback singer
A playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:...
and lyricist, working in the Tamil film industry. His filmography includes critically acclaimed films like Kadhal Kondein
Kadhal Kondein
Kaadhal Kondein is a 2003 Indian Tamil drama film written and directed by Selvaraghavan, starring his brother Dhanush and newcomer Sonia Agarwal in lead roles, whilst newcomers Sudeep, Nagesh and Daniel Balaji play supporting roles...
, Pudhupettai
Pudhupettai
Pudhupettai is a 2006 Indian Tamil gangster film written and directed by Selvaraghavan, starring his brother Dhanush in the lead, whilst Sneha and Sonia Agarwal enact the lead female character roles...
and Aadukalam, for which he won the National Film Award for Best Actor
National Film Award for Best Actor
The National Film Award for Best Actor is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actor who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry.-Background:The Directorate of Film Festivals makes awards annually in several categories...
and commercially successful films like Thiruda Thirudi
Thiruda Thirudi
Thiruda Thirudi is a Tamil film directed by debutant Subramaniam Siva. The film stars Dhanush and Chaya Singh. This film was a low-budget production and the soundtrack was composed by Dhina. This comedic love story is set in the clashing enemies starring Manikka Vinayagam, Ginja and Illavarasu...
, Thiruvilayadal Arambam, Polladhavan, Yaaradi Nee Mohini
Yaaradi Nee Mohini
Yaaradi Nee Mohini is a 2008 Tamil family drama film directed by Mithran Jawahar. The film, remake of the 2007 Telugu hit film Aadavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule, directed by Selvaraghavan that starred Venkatesh and Trisha Krishnan, stars Dhanush, Selvaraghavan's brother, and Nayantara in lead roles,...
and Padikathavan
Padikathavan
Padikathavan is a 2009 Indian Tamil language action film written and directed by Suraaj. It stars Dhanush, Tamannaah Bhatia, Sayaji Shinde, Pratap Pothan, Suman and Atul Kulkarni in the lead roles and features a huge supporting cast in small pivotal and cameo roles...
. He is the son of Kasthuri Raja
Kasthuri Raja
Kasthuri Raja is an Indian film director based in Chennai, India. He is the father of well known personalities, Selvaraghavan and Dhanush. He worked as an assistant director with Director K.S.G.-Direction:-References:...
and the brother of Selvaraghavan
Selvaraghavan
-Personal life:Selvaraghavan is the son of film director Kasthuri Raja, elder brother of actor Dhanush and has two sisters, who are both doctors. On 15 December 2006, he married actress Sonia Agarwal, with whom he had previously worked with on three films...
, both directors in Tamil cinema.
Early career: 2001–04
Following his upbringing as the son of a noted director, Dhanush debuted under the direction of Kasthuri RajaKasthuri Raja
Kasthuri Raja is an Indian film director based in Chennai, India. He is the father of well known personalities, Selvaraghavan and Dhanush. He worked as an assistant director with Director K.S.G.-Direction:-References:...
in the Thulluvadho Ilamai
Thulluvadho Ilamai
Thulluvadho Ilamai is a 2002 Indian Tamil film, directed by Kasthuri Raja, written by his son Selvaraghavan and introducing his second son Dhanush as an actor, who enacted the lead role character...
with fellow debutant, Sherin
Sherin
Sherin Shringar, known by her stage name Sherin or Shirin is a model turned actress, who appears in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil films. She made her debut at the age of 16 with Darshan in 2002.-Biography:...
. Upon release, the film fetch up big reviews and was a blockbuster, following the story of his character, Mahesh, and how his friends help him elope with his girlfriend, Kezia.
But Dhanush's breakthrough film was in his brother Selvaraghavan
Selvaraghavan
-Personal life:Selvaraghavan is the son of film director Kasthuri Raja, elder brother of actor Dhanush and has two sisters, who are both doctors. On 15 December 2006, he married actress Sonia Agarwal, with whom he had previously worked with on three films...
's debut directorial venture, Kadhal Kondein
Kadhal Kondein
Kaadhal Kondein is a 2003 Indian Tamil drama film written and directed by Selvaraghavan, starring his brother Dhanush and newcomer Sonia Agarwal in lead roles, whilst newcomers Sudeep, Nagesh and Daniel Balaji play supporting roles...
. The film portrayed Dhanush as a mentally-disturbed youth, Vinodh, who yearned for the love of his friend, played by Sonia Agarwal
Sonia Agarwal
Sonia Agarwal is an Indian film actress and model. Having predominantly acted in Tamil films, she is probably best known for her performances as Divya...
, eventually turning possessive over her. Upon release, the film won critical acclaim and became a commercial success, catapulting Dhanush into the main foray of actors in Tamil films. Furthermore his next film, released later in 2003, Thiruda Thirudi
Thiruda Thirudi
Thiruda Thirudi is a Tamil film directed by debutant Subramaniam Siva. The film stars Dhanush and Chaya Singh. This film was a low-budget production and the soundtrack was composed by Dhina. This comedic love story is set in the clashing enemies starring Manikka Vinayagam, Ginja and Illavarasu...
became a blockbuster. Appearing in his first hero-centric film, Dhanush earned Good reviews for his portrayal opposite debutant Chaya Singh
Chaya Singh
Chaya Singhis an actress, born 16 May 1976 in Bangalore. She did her schooling at Lourdes School, Bangalore. Her parents had migrated from Uttar Pradesh to Karnataka before her birth. She has a reputation of being very selective in her roles....
. Furthermore, his performance in the song, Manmadha Rasa, was appreciated, subsequently earning the song cult status.
Setback: 2004–05
Despite achieving three profitable ventures in his first three films, Dhanush's following films all gained mixed reviews and were commercial failures. The first failure was his first action filmAction film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
, Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan
Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan
Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan is a 2004 Indian Tamil film, written and directed by S. S. Stanley, starring Dhanush and newcomer Aparna Pillai in lead roles. The music, scored by Yuvan Shankar Raja, was the major highlight of the film. After this film Dhanush was called as the Indian Bruce Lee...
opposite Aparna Pillai, was lamented by critics as a "poor film". This was followed by Ramana
Ramana
* Ramana, place in Pakistan.* Chintapalli Ramana, Telugu film writer.* Ramana, Azerbaijan is an urban-type settlement and municipality in Azerbaijan.* Ramana Maharshi, Hindu spiritual figure.* Ramana Reddy, famous Telugu film actor....
's Sullan
Sullan
Sullan is a South Indian Tamil film released in 2004 with a soundtrack written by Vidyasagar.This film was later dubbed into Hindi as 'Tezaab-The terror'.-Plot:...
, which received negative reviews. However the film, which had Sindhu Tolani
Sindhu Tolani
Sindhu Tolani was born in Mumbai, India on 19 July 1983. She has been a Fair & Lovely cream model girl in the North as well as a successful actress.She has given many hits in Telugu cinema.-Film career:...
as the lead heroine, was dubbed into Telugu as Maurya. The third and most-criticized failure was Dreams
Dreams (2004 film)
Dreams is a 2004 Tamil romantic film directed by Kasthuri Raja and produced by Saraswathi Srikanth. The film featured Raja's son Dhanush in the lead role with Diya and Parul Yadav playing other pivotal roles...
alongside two new heroines. The film directed by his father, like their previous venture was released with reviews claiming it was another adult film. This hampered the film's progress, and the film remains Dhanush's biggest failure till date.
In 2005, Dhanush had two average grossers in Devathaiyai Kanden and the much-hyped Balu Mahendra
Balu Mahendra
Balanathan "Balu" Mahendran is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter, and cinematographer widely regarded as part of the first in a wave of directors and screenwriters from the Chennai film industry who revitalised Tamil cinema...
's Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam
Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam
Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam is a Tamil film directed by Balu Mahendra released in 2005, starring Dhanush and Priyamani. It was a remake of Balu Mahendra's 1987 Telugu film Nireekshana with slight modifications, but however it was said that the film was based on a true incident.-Box office:*The film...
. The former was a commercial venture, directed by debutant Boopathy Pandian
Boopathy Pandian
-Filmography:-References:...
, which despite receiving average reviews on Dhanush's performance, was dubbed into Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
, while the latter, an off-beat venture, which featured Dhanush opposite Priyamani
Priyamani
Priya Vasudev Mani Iyer, better known by her stage name Priyamani is an Indian film actress and model who has appeared in several Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada films...
, received rave reviews but failed to succeed at the box-office.
Breakthrough: 2006–present
Dhanush's biggest film, in terms of budget, till date is the 2006-released PudhupettaiPudhupettai
Pudhupettai is a 2006 Indian Tamil gangster film written and directed by Selvaraghavan, starring his brother Dhanush in the lead, whilst Sneha and Sonia Agarwal enact the lead female character roles...
. The film, re-united him with his brother after their successful previous venture, pitted him against two prominent heroines Sneha and Sonia Agarwal
Sonia Agarwal
Sonia Agarwal is an Indian film actress and model. Having predominantly acted in Tamil films, she is probably best known for her performances as Divya...
. The movie is about the rites of passages in the life and times of an everyday-man who ends up as a dreaded gangster, 'Kokki' Kumar, the role portrayed by Dhanush. A critic praised Dhanush's realistic portrayal, claiming that "as the innocent boy who transmogrifies into a bloody criminal, Dhanush is utterly believable. The subtle changes in his body language and his ability to give every expression a deeper meaning make the character more interesting. This is certainly one of his better performances." The film which became universally critically praised, failed to relate to Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
audiences and ended up being an above average grosser at the box-office, despite the positive reviews. The film fared marginally better, in the Telugu dubbed version, titled Dhoolpet. Dhanush achieved his first hit in three years with the commercial entertainer Thiruvilayadal Arambam, alongside Shriya Saran
Shriya Saran
Shriya Saran , also known by the mononym Shriya, is an Indian film actress and model. She has worked in several of the regional industries of Indian cinema, having acted in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi language films, as well as a few films in English, Malayalam and Kannada...
and Prakash Raj
Prakash Raj
Prakash Raj , better known by his stage name Prakash Raj, is a National Award winning actor, director and producer who has worked in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Malayalam films. Though he was born in a Tulu family he achieved fame through Kannada, Tamil and Telugu films. He got introduced to...
. The comedy film showed the relationship between a poor man who loved the sister of a businessman. The film was well-received by critics and audiences alike.
Dhanush's first release of 2007, Parattai Engira Azhagu Sundaram
Parattai Engira Azhagu Sundaram
Parattai Engira Azhagu Sundaram is a 2007 Tamil-language drama film directed by Suresh Krishna. It stars Dhanush in the lead role along with Meera Jasmine and Archana. The film is a remake of the successful 2005 Kannada film Jogi directed by Prem and features the original music scored by Gurukiran...
, bombed at the box-office, gaining negative reviews in the process. The film, which was a remake of the successful Kannada language film, Jogi
Jogi
Jogi is a 2005 Kannada film with Shivrajkumar and Jennifer Kotwal in the lead roles; it was directed by Prem, who had previously directed Kariya. Jogi was released on 19 August 2005. Record box office collection was reported across Karnataka and the movie completed 100 days in more than 50 theaters...
, starred him opposite Meera Jasmine
Meera Jasmine
Meera Jasmine is an Indian actress, who appears in regional Indian films that includes Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films. She won the National Film Award for Best Actress in 2004 and is a two time recipient of the Kerala State Film Award, the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, as well as the...
However, his second film Polladhavan released during Diwali
Diwali
Diwali or DeepavaliThe name of the festival in various regional languages include:, , , , , , , , , , , , , popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a festival celebrated between mid-October and mid-December for different reasons...
2007, became a blockbuster at the box office, in which his performance was raved. Polladhavan, based on 1948–Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
neorealist
Italian neorealism
Italian neorealism is a style of film characterized by stories set amongst the poor and working class, filmed on location, frequently using nonprofessional actors...
The Bicycle Thieves, featured Dhanush opposite Divya Spandana, and the film's "fresh screenplay" by director Vetrimaran helped the film become a super hit.
The remake of a successful Telugu film directed by his brother, was the plotline for Dhanush's first 2008 release. Directed by debutant M. Jawahar, Yaaradi Nee Mohini
Yaaradi Nee Mohini
Yaaradi Nee Mohini is a 2008 Tamil family drama film directed by Mithran Jawahar. The film, remake of the 2007 Telugu hit film Aadavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule, directed by Selvaraghavan that starred Venkatesh and Trisha Krishnan, stars Dhanush, Selvaraghavan's brother, and Nayantara in lead roles,...
with Nayantara
Nayantara
Nayantara , is an Indian film actress. She made her acting debut in 2003 in the Malayalam film Manassinakkare. She debuted in Tamil cinema with Ayya and in Telugu cinema with Lakshmi , following which she starred alongside popular lead actors...
became a big blockbuster at the box-office. He later appeared in a cameo appearance, for his father-in-law Rajnikanth
Rajnikanth
Rajinikanth is an Indian film actor, media personality, and cultural icon. He made his debut as an actor in the National Film Award-winning motion picture Apoorva Raagangal , directed by K. Balachander, whom the actor considers his mentor....
's venture, Kuselan
Kuselan
Kuselan is a 2008 Tamil drama film directed by P. Vasu, which was simultaneously made in Telugu as Kathanayakudu . Both remake of the Malayalam film Kadha Parayumbol, the film is directed by P. Vasu and produced by Pushpa Kandaswamy, Aswani Dutt and G. P. Vijayakumar in two languages...
, being portrayed as himself in a song sequence. His subsequent venture was Suraj's Padikathavan
Padikathavan
Padikathavan is a 2009 Indian Tamil language action film written and directed by Suraaj. It stars Dhanush, Tamannaah Bhatia, Sayaji Shinde, Pratap Pothan, Suman and Atul Kulkarni in the lead roles and features a huge supporting cast in small pivotal and cameo roles...
opposite Tamannaah Bhatia which had a January 2009 release. His performance was praised, with Sify
Sify
Sify Technologies Limited is an Internet service provider established in 1998, based in Chennai, India.-Company profile:...
.com citing that "Dhanush is in top form in his dance" and "has improved a lot in action", with claims that the climax fight featuring him was "outstanding" and the film had become a super hit, giving Dhanush a "hat-trick of successes". His following 2010 films Kutty
Kutty (2009 film)
Kutty is a 2010 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film directed by Mithran Jawahar, who with the project, recombines with the lead actor following the success of their previous venture. The film stars Dhanush, Shriya Saran and Sameer Dattani in the lead roles with Radha Ravi playing a pivotal...
and Uthama Puthiran
Uthama Puthiran
Uthama Puthiran might refer to* Uthama Puthiran , a 1957 Tamil-language film starring Sivaji Ganesan.* Uthamaputhiran , a 2010 Tamil-language film starring Dhanush and Genelia D'Souza....
, both collaborations with director Mithran Jawahar
Mithran Jawahar
Mithran Jawahar is a Tamil film director. His debut venture was the 2008 film Yaaradi Nee Mohini, starring Dhanush and Nayantara, which was a runaway hit. His next two films, both again featuring Dhanush in the lead role, received mixed reviews from critics. His next venture would be based on his...
, received mixed reviews and but were decent hits.
His first 2011 release was Aadukalam, marking his second collaboration with Vetrimaran
Vetrimaran
Vetrimaaran is a Tamil film director, working primarily in the Tamil film industry based in Tamil Nadu. He made his directorial debut with the critically acclaimed Polladhavan . His second feature film Aadukalam won six National Film Awards, with Vetrimaaran receiving two awards for Best...
, which Dhanush had shot for over a period of three years. Dhanush played the role of a local cockfighter, KP Karuppu and described the venture as his "dream project" during production. The film gained very positive reviews and won six prizes at the 58th National Film Awards
58th National Film Awards
The 58th National Film Awards is presented to the best of Indian Cinema released during the year 2010.-Feature Films:Films made in any Indian language shot on 16 mm, 35 mm or in a wider gauge or digital format but released on a film format or video/digital but certified by the Central...
, with Dhanush receiving accolades for his performance including the National Film Award for Best Actor
National Film Award for Best Actor
The National Film Award for Best Actor is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actor who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry.-Background:The Directorate of Film Festivals makes awards annually in several categories...
, becoming the youngest actor to win the award. Dhanush appeared in an extended guest appearance in Subramania Siva's Seedan
Seedan
Seedan is a 2011 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by Subramaniya Shiva. The film stars newcomer Krishna and Ananya of Naadodigal fame in the lead and features Dhanush in an extended guest appearance, while Suhasini, Sheela and Vivek appear in supporting roles.The film, a remake of the...
, portraying the role of a god
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. His next two ventures were action-masala films
Masala (film genre)
Masala is a term given to films of Indian cinema that mix various genres in one film. Typically these films freely mix action, comedy, romance, and drama or melodrama. These films tend to be musicals that include songs filmed in picturesque locations...
, Mappillai, a remake of his father-in-law's same-titled 1989 comedy flick and Venghai by Hari
Hari (director)
Hari is a Tamil film director, best known for his action-masala films. , he has directed eleven films.- Background :Hari was born in Katchanavilai near Nazereth in Tuticorin District, Tamil Nadu, India. His father, Gopal Nadar, is a vessels merchant. Later his family shifted to Chennai...
, which both opened to mixed reviews.
His forthcoming venture includes another collaboration with his brother in Mayakkam Enna and he will also be seen in 3
3 (2012 film)
The soundtrack and background score is composed by Anirudh Ravichander. The single track "Why This Kolaveri Di", written and performed by Dhanush was initially leaked in internet. Makers, having noticed its popularity, had later decided to go for an official release. Soon, the song has become the...
directed by his wife, Aishwarya Rajinikanth with Shruti Haasan
Shruti Haasan
Shruti Haasan is an Indian actress, singer and music composer who has worked in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil films. Her parents are noted actors, Kamal Haasan and Sarika. As a child artiste, she sang in films and appeared in a guest role, before making her adult acting debut in the 2009 action drama,...
paired opposite him. The film particularly gained high popularity prior to the release, after the single track "Why This Kolaveri Di
Why This Kolaveri Di
Why This Kolaveri Di |3]], which is due to be released in 2012. The soundtrack and background score is composed by Anirudh Ravichander.This song was officially released on 16th November 2011, and it instantly became viral on social networking sites for its quirky "Tanglish" lyrics...
", composed, penned and sung by Dhanush went viral.
Other work
Dhanush occasionally works as a playback singer and lyricist as well, generally in his own films. He was introduced as a playback singer in Pudhukottaiyilirundhu SaravananPudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan
Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan is a 2004 Indian Tamil film, written and directed by S. S. Stanley, starring Dhanush and newcomer Aparna Pillai in lead roles. The music, scored by Yuvan Shankar Raja, was the major highlight of the film. After this film Dhanush was called as the Indian Bruce Lee...
by its composer Yuvan Shankar Raja
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Yuvan Shankar Raja is an Indian film score and soundtrack composer, singer and occasional lyricist. He has predominantly scored music for Tamil as well as several Telugu films. His musical career began in 1996, at age 16, as he composed the film score for Aravindhan...
and collaborated again with him in his brother Selvaraghavan's directorial, Pudhupettai
Pudhupettai
Pudhupettai is a 2006 Indian Tamil gangster film written and directed by Selvaraghavan, starring his brother Dhanush in the lead, whilst Sneha and Sonia Agarwal enact the lead female character roles...
. He sung further numbers in Selvaraghavan's films Aayirathil Oruvan and Mayakkam Enna; the former featured him alongside his wife Aishwarya Rajinikanth. His biggest success become the song "Why this Kolaveri Di
Why This Kolaveri Di
Why This Kolaveri Di |3]], which is due to be released in 2012. The soundtrack and background score is composed by Anirudh Ravichander.This song was officially released on 16th November 2011, and it instantly became viral on social networking sites for its quirky "Tanglish" lyrics...
" from his upcoming film 3
3 (2012 film)
The soundtrack and background score is composed by Anirudh Ravichander. The single track "Why This Kolaveri Di", written and performed by Dhanush was initially leaked in internet. Makers, having noticed its popularity, had later decided to go for an official release. Soon, the song has become the...
, directed by his wife. The song became viral on internet and gained overwhelming response. Selvaraghavan disclosed on Twitter that the tunes of the songs "Kadhal En Kadhal" and "Why this Kolaveri di" were composed entirely by Dhanush himself.
Family
Dhanush was born to film director Kasthuri RajaKasthuri Raja
Kasthuri Raja is an Indian film director based in Chennai, India. He is the father of well known personalities, Selvaraghavan and Dhanush. He worked as an assistant director with Director K.S.G.-Direction:-References:...
as Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja . He finished higher education at St. John's Matriculation Higher Secondary School Alwarthirunagar
St. John's Matriculation Higher Secondary School Alwarthirunagar
St John's Matriculation Higher Secondary School is a school in Alwarthirunagar which had its beginnings in the early 1980s. The school was founded by D John Ponnudurai. This school is part of IYAP consortium. The school follows Matriculation Syllabus for students between Grade 1 to Grade 10 and...
and entered acting, after being pressurised by his brother, director Selvaraghavan
Selvaraghavan
-Personal life:Selvaraghavan is the son of film director Kasthuri Raja, elder brother of actor Dhanush and has two sisters, who are both doctors. On 15 December 2006, he married actress Sonia Agarwal, with whom he had previously worked with on three films...
. Dhanush was married on 18 November 2004 to actor Rajinikanth's daughter Aishwarya. They have two sons, named Yatra (b. 10 October 2006) and Linga (b. 21 June 2010).
Facebook account
In August 2009, Dhanush publicly announced that an account on FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
under the name "Dhanush Kasthuri Raja" was not him and was a fake user, taking his identity. The account had nearly 4000 friends added, which the actor claimed were mostly global fans of his. He ordered the user to deactivate the account immediately, before any intentions of tarnishing his image, while he takes up the issue with cyber-crime authorities.
As Actor
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Thulluvadho Ilamai Thulluvadho Ilamai Thulluvadho Ilamai is a 2002 Indian Tamil film, directed by Kasthuri Raja, written by his son Selvaraghavan and introducing his second son Dhanush as an actor, who enacted the lead role character... |
Mahesh | |
| 2003 | Kadhal Kondein Kadhal Kondein Kaadhal Kondein is a 2003 Indian Tamil drama film written and directed by Selvaraghavan, starring his brother Dhanush and newcomer Sonia Agarwal in lead roles, whilst newcomers Sudeep, Nagesh and Daniel Balaji play supporting roles... |
Vinod | Nominated—Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award |
| 2003 | Thiruda Thirudi Thiruda Thirudi Thiruda Thirudi is a Tamil film directed by debutant Subramaniam Siva. The film stars Dhanush and Chaya Singh. This film was a low-budget production and the soundtrack was composed by Dhina. This comedic love story is set in the clashing enemies starring Manikka Vinayagam, Ginja and Illavarasu... |
Vasu | |
| 2004 | Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan is a 2004 Indian Tamil film, written and directed by S. S. Stanley, starring Dhanush and newcomer Aparna Pillai in lead roles. The music, scored by Yuvan Shankar Raja, was the major highlight of the film. After this film Dhanush was called as the Indian Bruce Lee... |
Saravanan | |
| 2004 | Sullan Sullan Sullan is a South Indian Tamil film released in 2004 with a soundtrack written by Vidyasagar.This film was later dubbed into Hindi as 'Tezaab-The terror'.-Plot:... |
Subramani (Sullan) | |
| 2004 | Dreams Dreams (2004 film) Dreams is a 2004 Tamil romantic film directed by Kasthuri Raja and produced by Saraswathi Srikanth. The film featured Raja's son Dhanush in the lead role with Diya and Parul Yadav playing other pivotal roles... |
Sakthi | |
| 2005 | Devathaiyai Kanden | Babu | |
| 2005 | Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam is a Tamil film directed by Balu Mahendra released in 2005, starring Dhanush and Priyamani. It was a remake of Balu Mahendra's 1987 Telugu film Nireekshana with slight modifications, but however it was said that the film was based on a true incident.-Box office:*The film... |
Seenu | |
| 2006 | Pudhupettai Pudhupettai Pudhupettai is a 2006 Indian Tamil gangster film written and directed by Selvaraghavan, starring his brother Dhanush in the lead, whilst Sneha and Sonia Agarwal enact the lead female character roles... |
Kokki Kumar | |
| 2006 | Thiruvilayadal Arambam | Thirukumaran | |
| 2007 | Parattai Engira Azhagu Sundaram Parattai Engira Azhagu Sundaram Parattai Engira Azhagu Sundaram is a 2007 Tamil-language drama film directed by Suresh Krishna. It stars Dhanush in the lead role along with Meera Jasmine and Archana. The film is a remake of the successful 2005 Kannada film Jogi directed by Prem and features the original music scored by Gurukiran... |
Azhagu Sundaram | |
| 2007 | Polladhavan | Prabhu | Nominated—Vijay Award for Best Actor Vijay Award for Best Actor The Vijay Award for Best Actor is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films. It was given from the second ceremony onwards.-Winners and nominees:*2007 Sathyaraj - Onbadhu Roobai Nottu... |
| 2008 | Yaaradi Nee Mohini Yaaradi Nee Mohini Yaaradi Nee Mohini is a 2008 Tamil family drama film directed by Mithran Jawahar. The film, remake of the 2007 Telugu hit film Aadavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule, directed by Selvaraghavan that starred Venkatesh and Trisha Krishnan, stars Dhanush, Selvaraghavan's brother, and Nayantara in lead roles,... |
Vasu | Vijay Award for Entertainer of the Year Vijay Award for Entertainer of the Year The Vijay for Entertainer of the Year is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films.-The list:Here is a list of the award winners and the films for which they won.... Nominated—Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award Nominated—Vijay Award for Best Actor Vijay Award for Best Actor The Vijay Award for Best Actor is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films. It was given from the second ceremony onwards.-Winners and nominees:*2007 Sathyaraj - Onbadhu Roobai Nottu... |
| 2008 | Kuselan Kuselan Kuselan is a 2008 Tamil drama film directed by P. Vasu, which was simultaneously made in Telugu as Kathanayakudu . Both remake of the Malayalam film Kadha Parayumbol, the film is directed by P. Vasu and produced by Pushpa Kandaswamy, Aswani Dutt and G. P. Vijayakumar in two languages... |
Himself | Cameo appearance |
| 2009 | Padikathavan Padikathavan Padikathavan is a 2009 Indian Tamil language action film written and directed by Suraaj. It stars Dhanush, Tamannaah Bhatia, Sayaji Shinde, Pratap Pothan, Suman and Atul Kulkarni in the lead roles and features a huge supporting cast in small pivotal and cameo roles... |
Radhakrishnan (Rocky) | |
| 2010 | Kutty Kutty (2009 film) Kutty is a 2010 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film directed by Mithran Jawahar, who with the project, recombines with the lead actor following the success of their previous venture. The film stars Dhanush, Shriya Saran and Sameer Dattani in the lead roles with Radha Ravi playing a pivotal... |
Kutty | |
| 2010 | Uthama Puthiran Uthamaputhiran (2010 film) The soundtrack, composed by Vijay Antony, was released on 5 October 2010 in Chennai. The album consists of 6 tracks overall.... |
Sivaramakrishnan (Siva) | |
| 2011 | Aadukalam | K. P. Karuppu | National Film Award for Best Actor National Film Award for Best Actor The National Film Award for Best Actor is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actor who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry.-Background:The Directorate of Film Festivals makes awards annually in several categories... |
| 2011 | Seedan Seedan Seedan is a 2011 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by Subramaniya Shiva. The film stars newcomer Krishna and Ananya of Naadodigal fame in the lead and features Dhanush in an extended guest appearance, while Suhasini, Sheela and Vivek appear in supporting roles.The film, a remake of the... |
Saravanan | Guest appearance |
| 2011 | Mappillai | Saravanan | |
| 2011 | Venghai | Selvam | |
| 2011 | Mayakkam Enna | Karthik Swaminathan | |
| 2012 | 3 3 (2012 film) The soundtrack and background score is composed by Anirudh Ravichander. The single track "Why This Kolaveri Di", written and performed by Dhanush was initially leaked in internet. Makers, having noticed its popularity, had later decided to go for an official release. Soon, the song has become the... |
Filming |
As lyricist
| Year | Song(s) | Film |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Pirai Thedum Voda Voda Dhooram Korayala Kadhal En Kadhal |
Mayakkam Enna |
| 2011 | Why This Kolaveri Di Why This Kolaveri Di Why This Kolaveri Di |3]], which is due to be released in 2012. The soundtrack and background score is composed by Anirudh Ravichander.This song was officially released on 16th November 2011, and it instantly became viral on social networking sites for its quirky "Tanglish" lyrics... |
3 3 (2012 film) The soundtrack and background score is composed by Anirudh Ravichander. The single track "Why This Kolaveri Di", written and performed by Dhanush was initially leaked in internet. Makers, having noticed its popularity, had later decided to go for an official release. Soon, the song has become the... |
Awards
- National Film Award for Best ActorNational Film Award for Best ActorThe National Film Award for Best Actor is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actor who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry.-Background:The Directorate of Film Festivals makes awards annually in several categories...
- Aadukalam (2011) - Vijay Award for Entertainer of the YearVijay Award for Entertainer of the YearThe Vijay for Entertainer of the Year is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films.-The list:Here is a list of the award winners and the films for which they won....
- Yaaradi Nee MohiniYaaradi Nee MohiniYaaradi Nee Mohini is a 2008 Tamil family drama film directed by Mithran Jawahar. The film, remake of the 2007 Telugu hit film Aadavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule, directed by Selvaraghavan that starred Venkatesh and Trisha Krishnan, stars Dhanush, Selvaraghavan's brother, and Nayantara in lead roles,...
(2008)