Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja (born July 28, 1983) is an Indian actor, producer, director, lyricist, and playback singer who works primarily in Tamil cinema. His awards include four National Film Awards (two as an actor and two as a producer), 14 SIIMA Awards, nine Vijay Awards, seven Filmfare Awards South, five Vikatan Awards, five Edison Awards, and a Filmfare Award. He has appeared six times on the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list, which ranks Indian celebrities based on their earnings.
Thulluvadho Ilamai, a 2002 coming-of-age film directed by his father, Kasthuri Raja, was Dhanush's first film. Polladhavan (2007) and Yaaradi Nee Mohini (2008) were both critically acclaimed and commercially successful films for him. His performance in Aadukalam (2010) as a rooster fight jockey earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor and the Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Tamil. Maryan (2013), Velaiilla Pattadhari (2014), Anegan (2015), Kodi (2016), Vadachennai (2018), Asuran (2019), Thiruchitrambalam (2022), and Vaathi were among his subsequent successes (2023). Vadachennai became the highest-grossing A-rated Tamil film of all time, while Thiruchitrambalam and Vaathi both broke into the $100 million club within a month of their release. He also appeared in the action films Maari (2015), Maari 2 (2018), and Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 in the 2010s (2017).
Dhanush's hit song "Why This Kolaveri Di" from the romantic psychological thriller film 3 (2012) became the first Indian music video to reach 100 million views on YouTube in 2011. He made his Bollywood debut in Raanjhanaa, directed by Aanand L. Rai (2013). His performance as an obsessive one-sided lover in the film earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut, as well as a nomination for Best Actor. Dhanush's production company, Wunderbar Films, produces films, and he made his directorial debut with Pa Paandi (2017). His Maari 2 song "Rowdy Baby" became one of the most-viewed Indian songs of all time. It is the only South Indian video song to have received one billion views on YouTube. Dhanush won his second National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in Asuran (2019).
Personal and early life
Dhanush was born on July 28, 1983, in Madras, Tamil Nadu, as Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja to Tamil film director and producer Kasthuri Raja and mother Vijayalakshmi. Initially, he planned to attend a hotel management school and become a chef. His brother, director Selvaraghavan, however, pushed him to become an actor.
On November 18, 2004, Dhanush married Aishwarya, Rajinikanth's eldest daughter. Yatra and Linga, their two sons, were born in 2006 and 2010, respectively. On January 17, 2022, the couple announced their divorce.
He is a devout follower of Lord Shiva and named his two sons Shaivite. Dhanush eats only vegetables.
Career as an actor
Dhanush's filmography is the main article.
2002-2010: Beginnings of a career
Venkatesh Prabhu chose the screen name "Dhanush" after being inspired by Kuruthipunal's fictional covert operation (1995). He made his debut in his father Kasthuri Raja's 2002 teen drama film Thulluvadho Ilamai, which became a sleeper hit. In 2003, he appeared in his brother Selvaraghavan's directorial debut, the romantic psychological thriller Kaadhal Kondein. The film portrayed Dhanush as Vinodh, a mentally disturbed youth who yearned for the love of his friend and eventually became possessive of her. When it was released, the film received critical acclaim and proved to be a huge commercial success, becoming Dhanush's breakthrough in Tamil cinema. The film also earned him his first Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actor - Tamil. Thiruda Thirudi (2003), his next film, was a critical and commercial success.
Dhanush made his film debut in 2004 with Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan and Sullan. Later, he appeared in Dreams, another critically panned film. His father directed the film, as he had done previously. Dhanush appeared in Devathaiyai Kanden in 2005, and he also worked on Balu Mahendra's Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam that year. Dhanush collaborated with his brother in their gangster film Pudhupettai in 2006. The film, about a young man's journey from street urchin to gangster, received widespread acclaim, with Dhanush receiving particular praise for his performance. For his performance in the film, he received his second nomination for a Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Tamil. Dhanush went on to star opposite Shriya Saran in the commercial entertainer Thiruvilaiyaadal Aarambam.
Dhanush's first film of 2007, Parattai Engira Azhagu Sundaram, performed poorly at the box office. The film was a remake of the popular Kannada film Jogi (2005). His second film, Polladhavan, was released during Diwali in 2007. Polladhavan is a remake of the 1948 Italian neorealist film Bicycle Thieves, and Dhanush's performance was praised.
The plot line for Dhanush's next film, Yaaradi Nee Mohini, directed by debutant Mithran Jawahar, was inspired by a remake of a Telugu film directed by his brother. The romantic comedy was a critical and commercial success, earning Dhanush his third Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actor - Tamil. He later made a cameo appearance in his father-in-law Rajinikanth's film Kuselan. Suraj's Padikathavan, which was released in January 2009, was his next project. His performance was well received and praised. His next two films, Kutty and Uthama Puthiran, were co-written and directed by Mithran Jawahar.
He won his first Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer - Tamil for the song "Un Mele Aasaidhaan" from the action-adventure film Aayirathil Oruvan, which starred him alongside his wife Aishwarya Rajinikanth.
From 2011 to 2014, there was critical success.
Dhanush's first film, Aadukalam, was released in 2011, after a three-year shoot. It was his second collaboration with Vetrimaran. During production, Dhanush played a local cockfighter and described the project as his "dream project." The film received widespread critical acclaim and won six awards at the 58th National Film Awards, including Best Actor for Dhanush, who was the youngest actor to receive the award. For his performance in the film, he also received his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Tamil. Subramania Siva's Seedan featured Dhanush in an extended guest appearance. His next two projects were the action films Mappillai, a remake of his father-in-1989 law's film of the same name, and Venghai, directed by Hari and received mixed reviews but commercial success.
Dhanush's next film, Mayakkam Enna, in which he worked with his brother again and starred alongside Richa Gangopadhyay, received positive reviews. In 2012, his only film was the romantic psychological thriller 3, directed by his wife Aishwarya Rajinikanth and starring Shruti Haasan. The film was a critical and commercial success, thanks in large part to the popularity of the song "Why This Kolaveri Di." The song quickly went viral, becoming the first video from India to reach 100 million views on YouTube. He received his second consecutive Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Tamil, as well as his second Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer - Tamil, for the film.
In 2013, he starred in Maryan alongside Parvathy, which was a box office success but received critical acclaim, earning Dhanush his sixth nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Tamil, as well as the Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Critics) - Tamil. Naiyaandi, directed by A., was his next film. Sarkunam, which failed to make an impression at the box office. He made his Bollywood debut opposite Sonam in the film Raanjhanaa, directed by Aanand L. Rai. The film premiered on June 21, 2013, with the Tamil dubbed version Ambikapathy following a week later. A. composed the background score for this film. It was directed by R. Rahman and received mixed reviews from critics, grossing over 94 crore rupees worldwide.
Dhanush's first film of 2014 was the comedy-drama Velaiilla Pattadhari, directed by Velraj and also his 25th. It received favorable critical reviews and was a commercial success, ranking among the top-grossing Tamil films of 2014. For his performance in the film, Dhanush received his third Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Tamil. Raghuvaran B. Tech, the Telugu version, was also a hit.
Shamitabh (2015) was his next release, and it was also his second Hindi film directed by R. Balki. It received mostly positive reviews and was praised for its concept, but it bombed at the box office. K.'s next film, Anegan, is a psychological thriller. V. Anand, which received favorable reviews and went on to become a box office success. Dhanush received his eighth nomination for Best Actor - Tamil for the film.
Experimental projects from 2015 to the present
The action comedy Maari, starring Kajal Aggarwal, Robo Shankar, and Vijay Yesudas, was Dhanush's next release in 2015. It was directed by Balaji Mohan and composed by Anirudh Ravichander, and it was released worldwide on July 17, 2015, to mixed reviews. He also appeared in Velraj's Thanga Magan, alongside Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Amy Jackson, K. S. Ravikumar, and Raadhika. In 2016, Dhanush appeared in Thodari, an action thriller set on a train, and Kodi, a political action thriller, earning him his ninth Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actor - Tamil.
He made a cameo appearance in his directorial debut, Power Paandi, which was released on April 14, 2017. His first film as a lead actor in 2017 was Velaiilla Pattadhari 2, directed by his sister-in-law Soundarya Rajinikanth. He wrote the screenplay and dialogues for the film. as well as creating it. It was one of the most successful Tamil films of 2017. In 2018, his films Vadachennai and Maari 2, a sequel to Maari, were released. Vadachennai received high praise from critics and became the highest-grossing A-rated Tamil film of all time. Dhanush also shared the Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Tamil (tying with Vijay Sethupathi for '96) for his performance in the film, his fourth win in the category. Maari 2 received mixed reviews upon its initial release and was a moderate box office success. Dhanush's first international film, The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir, was a commercial flop when it was released in 2019 worldwide. Asuran, his next 2019 release, was praised by critics for its gritty depiction of land and caste violence and went on to become a box office success, entering the 100 Crore Club for grossing 100 crore in less than a month. Dhanush's second National Film Award for Best Actor went to Asuran. After several delays due to financial issues, his next release, a romantic thriller titled Enai Noki Paayum Thota, was released on November 29, 2019, to mixed reviews.
Pattas, a martial arts action film directed by R. Balki, was Dhanush's first Pongal release in 2020. S. Durai Senthilkumar, in which he played two characters. The film received favorable reviews. Dhanush joined Chris Evans, Ryan Gosling, and Ana de Armas in the Russo brothers' Netflix film The Gray Man.
Dhanush's first 2021 role was in Karnan, directed by Mari Selvaraj and co-starring Lal, Natarajan Subramaniam, Yogi Babu, Rajisha Vijayan, Gouri Kishan, and Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli. The film was released to critical acclaim on April 9th. Dhanush received his eleventh Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actor - Tamil for his performance in the film. Jagame Thandhiram, a black comedy gangster film written and directed by Karthik Subbaraj, was his next project, which was released on June 18, 2021. It also starred Joju George, Aishwarya Lekshmi, and James Cosmo in their Tamil debuts. Critics gave it mixed to positive reviews. He also co-starred with Akshay Kumar and Sara Ali Khan in Aanand L. Rai's August 2021 film Atrangi Re.
Thiruchitrambalam, directed by Mithran Jawahar and starring Nithya Menen, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Rashi Kanna, Bharathiraja, Prakash Raj, and Munishkanth, was released in 2022. The film will be released in theaters on August 18, 2022. It went on to become his highest-grossing film.
Music
Dhanush is a singer who mostly sings for his own films. Yuvan Shankar Raja introduced him as a playback singer in Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan, and he collaborated with him again in his brother Selvaraghavan's directorial, Pudhupettai. He sang more songs in Selvaraghavan's films Aayirathil Oruvan and Mayakkam Enna, the latter of which starred him alongside Aishwarya Rajinikanth.
"Why This Kolaveri Di" was released on YouTube in 2011 as part of the soundtrack to Aishwarya Dhanush's directorial debut, 3. The song became India's most-searched video. The soundtrack was composed by Anirudh Ravichander, and Dhanush wrote most of the lyrics. He also sang "No Problem" in the Kannada film Vajrakaya, for which he received a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Male Playback Singer - Kannada, and "Thikka" in the Telugu film Thikka.
| Year | Title | Album | Other artist(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | "Naattu Sarakku" | Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan | |
| 2005 | "Thunda Kaanom" | Devathaiyai Kanden | Anuradha Sriram |
| 2006 | "Enga Area" | Pudhupettai | |
| 2010 | "Un Mele", "Neemeede Aasaga" | Aayirathil Oruvan | Andrea Jeremiah |
| 2011 | "Oda Oda" | Mayakkam Enna | |
| "Kadhal En Kadhal" | Selvaraghavan | ||
| 2012 | "Why This Kolaveri Di" | 3 | |
| "Kannazhaga", "Kannuladha" | Shruti Haasan | ||
| 2013 | "Teddy Bear" | Naiyaandi | |
| “Nijamellam” | Ethir Neechal | ||
| 2014 | "Amma Amma" | Velaiilla Pattadhari | |
| "Po Indru Neeyaga" | |||
| "What a Karavad" | |||
| 2015 | "Danga Maari" | Anegan | |
| "No problem" | Vajrakaya | Kannada song | |
| "Pazhankala" | Irandaam Ulagam | Megha | |
| "Oh Oh", "Manasa Manasa" | Thanga Magan | Nikhita Gandhi | |
| "Jodi Nilave", "Odini Lali" | Shweta Mohan | ||
| "Maari Thara Local" | Maari | ||
| "Thappa Dhaan Theriyum" | |||
| "Bagulu Odayam Dagulu Mari" | |||
| 2016 | "Maalai Varum Vannilla" | Nenjam Marappathillai | |
| "Kodi" | Kodi | ||
| "Thikka" | Thikka | Telugu song | |
| 2017 | "Solli Tholaiyen Ma" | Yaakkai | |
| "Soorakathu"&"Venpanimalare" | Pa Paandi | Swetha Mohan, Sean Roldan | |
| "Pudhuvai" | Yaadhumagi Nindraai | ||
| "Life of Raghuvaran" | Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 | ||
| "Torture of Raghuvaran" | |||
| 2018 | "Goindhammavala" | Vada Chennai | |
| "Engleesu loves" | Pakkiri | ||
| "Local Sarakka" | Padaiveeran | ||
| "Ezhava" | Ezhumin | ||
| "Maari Gethu" | Maari 2 | Chinnaponnu | |
| "Rowdy Baby", "Rowdy Baby (Telugu)" | Dhee (Tamil), M.M Manasi (Telugu) | ||
| 2019 | "Nenjodu Vinaya" | Brother's Day | |
| "Polladha Bhoomi" | Asuran | ||
| "Kannazhagu Rathiname" | |||
| 2020 | "Chill Bro" | Pattas | |
| "Kaathodu Kaathanen" | Jail | Aditi Rao Hydari | |
| 2021 | "Thattaan Thattaan" | Karnan | |
| "Tata Bye Bye" | Vanakkam Da Mappilei | ||
| "Nethu" | Jagame Thandhiram | ||
| "Rakita Rakita Rakita" | |||
| "Little Little" | Atrangi Re | Hindi Song | |
| Galatta Kalyanam | |||
| 2022 | "Polladha Ulagam" | Maaran | |
| "Chittu Kuruvi" | |||
| "Thaai Kelavi" | Thiruchitrambalam | ||
| "Megham Karukaatha" | |||
| "Mayakkama Kalakkama" | |||
| "Rendu Raaja" | Naane Varuvean | ||
| 2023 | "Onnoda Nadandhaa" | Viduthalai Part 1 | Ananya Bhat |
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | "Kadhal Yen Kadhal" | Mayakkam Enna |
| "Ooda Ooda Thooram" | ||
| "Pirai Thedum" | ||
| 2012 | "Why This Kolaveri Di" | 3 |
| "Come On Girls" | ||
| "Po Nee Po" | ||
| "Nee Partha" | ||
| "Kannazhaga" | ||
| "Boomi Enna Suthude" | Ethir Neechal | |
| "Nijamellam Maranthu" | ||
| "Kadal Raasa Naan" | Maryan | |
| 2014 | "Amma Amma" | Velaiilla Pattadhari |
| "Ey Inga Paru" | ||
| "Vellailla Pattathari" | ||
| "Po Indru Neeyaga" | ||
| "Udhungada Sangu" | ||
| "What a Karuvad" | ||
| "Move your body" | Vai Raja Vai | |
| 2015 | "Enna Solla" | Thanga Magan |
| "Jodi Nilave" | ||
| "Oh oh" | ||
| "Tak bak" | ||
| "Maari Thara Local" | Maari | |
| "Don'u Don'u Don'u" | ||
| "Oru Vidha Asai" | ||
| 2016 | "Kodi" | Kodi |
| 2017 | "Venpanimalare " | Pa Paandi |
| "Soorakathu" | ||
| "Life of Raghuvaran" | Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 | |
| "Torture of Raghuvaran" | ||
| "Angel of Raghuvaran" | ||
| 2018 | "Maari Thara Local" | Maari 2 |
| "Anandhi" | ||
| 2019 | "Ilamai Thirumbuthe" | Petta |
| "Nenjodu Vinaya" | Brother's Day | |
| 2021 | "Nethu" | Jagame Thandhiram |
| "Little Little" | Galatta Kalyanam | |
| 2022 | "Chittu Kuruvi" | Maaran |
| "Thaai Kelavi" | Thiruchitrambalam | |
| "Megham Karukaatha" | ||
| "Mayakkama Kalakkama" | ||
| "Thenmozhi" | ||
| "Kanneer Sindha" | ||
| "Rendu Raaja" | Naane Varuvean | |
| 2023 | "Vaa Vaathi" | Vaathi |
| "One Life" |
Dhanush worked with WWF India to support Earth Hour 2012. In August 2013, Dhanush was signed by Perfetti India Ltd. as their brand ambassador for Center Fresh chewing gum.
He has made his directorial debut with the oomedy-drama Pa Paandi (2017), which earned him his first Filmfare Award for Best Director – Tamil.
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Dhanush
Dhanush has won and received several nominations at the National Film Award, Filmfare Awards and Vijay Awards ceremony. He won the National Film Award for Best Actor, twice, in 2011 and 2021, for his films with Vetrimaaran, Aadukalam and Asuran.
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | R K Vengadesha Prabu [1]Deccan Herald |
| Real name | Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja [2]Wikipedia |
| Other name | Dhanush K Raja [3]Instagram |
| Profession(s) | Actor, Producer, Director, Writer, Lyricist, Screenwriter, and Playback Singer |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 175 cm in meters- 1.75 m in feet & inches- 5’ 9” |
| Weight (approx.) | in kilograms- 70 kg in pounds- 154 lbs |
| Body Measurements (approx.) | - Chest: 38 inches - Waist: 30 inches - Biceps: 11 inches |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Debut | Film (Tamil; As an actor): Thulluvadho Ilamai (2002) as Mahesh Film (Hindi; As an actor): Raanjhanaa (2013) as Kundan Shankarin Film (English; As an actor): The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir (2015) as Lavash Patel Film (Tamil; As a producer): 3 (2012) Film (Tamil; As a lyricist): Kadhal En Kadhal from ‘Mayakkam Enna’ (2011) |
| Awards, Honours, Achievements | National Film Awards 2010: Best Actor for Aadukalam 2014: Best Children’s Film (co-producer) for Kaaka Muttai 2015: Best Feature Film in Tamil (co-producer) for Visaranai 2019: Best Actor for Asuran Filmfare Awards (Bollywood) 2013: Best Debutant Actor for Raanjhanaa Filmfare Awards South 2011: Best Actor for Aadukalam 2012: Best Male Playback Singer for Why This Kolaveri Di from the film 3 2012: Best Actor for 3 2013: Critics Best Actor award for Maryan 2014: Best Actor for Velaiyilla Pattathari 2015: Best Film for Kaaka Muttai (co-producer) 2018: Best Actor for Vada Chennai Vijay Awards 2008: Best Entertainer of the Year for Yaaradi Nee Mohini 2011: Best Crew (actor) for Aadukalam 2012: Best Lyricist for “Po Nee Po” from 3 2013: Best Crew (producer) for Ethir Neechal 2014: Best Actor for Velaiyilla Pattathari South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) 2011: Best Actor for Aadukalam 2011: Best Male Playback Singer for “Voda Voda” from Mayakkam Enna IIFA Utsavam 2015: Best Lyricist – Tamil for “Don-u Don-u Don-u” from Maari 2018: Best Actor for Vada Chennai 2018: Best Film for Vada Chennai (co-producer) Edison Awards (India) 2013: Best Actor for Maryan 2018: Best Actor for Vada Chennai 2019: Best Actor for Asuran Note: He has many more accolades to his name. |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 28 July 1982 (Wednesday) |
| Age (as of 2022) | 40 Years |
| Birthplace | Government Children’s Hospital in Egmore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu [4]The Hindu |
| Zodiac sign | Leo |
| Signature/Autograph |  |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
| School | Thai Sathya Matriculation High School, Chennai |
| College/University | Madurai Kamaraj University |
| Educational Qualification | Bachelor of Computer Application (distance education) [5]S & S Family First |
| Religion | Hinduism [6]India Today |
| Caste | Naicker (Backward class community) [7]India Today |
| Food Habit | Vegetarian [8]The Times of India |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Separated |
| Marriage Date | 8 November 2004 |
| Marriage Place | Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam, Chennai |
| Family | |
| Wife/Spouse | Aishwarya R. Dhanush (Director and Classical Dancer) (m. 2004; div. 2022) Note: On 17 January 2022, the couple ended their 18-year-long marriage. [15]The Times of India |
| Children | Son(s)- Yatra (born; 2006) and Linga (born; 2010) |
| Parents | Father- Kasthuri Raja (Filmmaker) Mother- Vijaylakshmi |
| Siblings | Brother- Selvaraghavan (Elder, Director) Sisters- K. Vimala Geetha, Karthika Devi (Doctor) |
| Other Relative | Father-in-law- Rajinikanth (Actor) |
Favourites | |
| Food | Idiyappam, Kadala Curry |
| Actor(s) | Mohanlal, Amitabh Bachchan, Al Pacino, Tom Hanks |
| Actress(es) | Simran, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor, Monica Bellucci |
| Film(s) | Netri Kann (1981), Baashha (1995), Pudhupettai (2006), and Drushyam (2014) |
| Musician | Ilaiyaraaja |
| Song | “Thendral Vanthu Theendum Pothu” from the film ‘Avatharam’ (2014) |
| Book | Love Story by Erich Segal |
| Colour | Black |
| Sport(s) | Tennis, Snooker, Football |
| Football Club | FC Barcelona |
| Style Quotient | |
| Car Collection | • Audi A8 • Bentley Continental Flying Spur • Rolls Royce Ghost Series 2 • Jaguar XE [16]Patrika |
| Money Factor | |
| Net Worth | Rs. 31.75 crore (as of 2019) [17]Forbes India |
I wanted it so badly that I’d go ask him (neighbour) and he’d refuse to part with it. My brother used to take a used thread spool and try to shape it into something that looked like a car. The days I’ve yearned for that red car I’d never forget.”
For a large part of my father’s youth, he worked in a mill and took up odd jobs to make ends meet. We lived in a small room and could only afford a meal a day. Dad would walk 11km every day to save a rupee of bus fare so we could go to school. I’ve seen poverty up close until I was four or five. But dad was a writer from a young age. Even while working in the mill, he would write stories and scripts and sell them to people for Rs 50 or so. They would then sell the stories to directors and producers as their own. Through one such contact, he got a break in the Tamil film industry as an assistant director. He must have been in his late 30s then. He worked hard for 15 years before making his directorial debut.”
Dhanush further added,
Of course! I was all of 16, I cried, threw tantrums, fasted. Nothing worked. I am glad it didn’t as I realise today I cannot do anything else. I suffer from stage fright so I blabber on stage and stop midway through my performances. I cannot even write a cheque as it makes me nervous. Being around people makes me nervous. But I’m very comfortable in front of the camera, and this I realised many films later.”
My English was pretty bad in 2005. To fix that, I got into the habit of reading English books. It would take me more than six months initially to read a book; I’d fall asleep before finishing a single chapter.”
