Dhanush is a popular pan-India star today, but do you know he never wanted to be a part of the showbiz world? Born into filmmaker Kasthuri Raja’s family, Dhanush never initially planned to become an actor. He made his acting debut with Thulluvadho Ilamai (2002) at just 18 and that too at his brother Selvaraghavan’s insistence.
In a recent interview, Dhanush’s father Kasthuri Raja revealed the actor did not come to cinema willingly and that until his fifth or sixth film, he was pleading with him to let him get out of it. Raja also revealed how Dhanush used to cry on the sets of his debut movie.
“Dhanush did not like cinema. Until he completed five or six films, he did not like cinema. When I made Thulluvadho Ilamai, he would keep telling me, ‘Dad, let me go. I will leave.’ He would cry before the shot while shooting for Thulluvadho Illamai,” Kasthuri Raja said.
While Dhanush made his acting debut with Thulluvadho Ilamai, his first major breakthrough came with Kadhal Kondein (2003), directed by Selvaraghavan. In the film, the actor portrayed a psychologically troubled youngster. He followed it with acclaimed performances in Pudhupettai (2006) and Polladhavan (2007), establishing himself as one of Tamil cinema’s most versatile young actors.
The turning point in Dhanush’s career came with Aadukalam (2011), which earned him his first National Film Award for Best Actor. The same year, his song Why This Kolaveri Di became a global internet sensation, making him a household name across India and overseas.
With time, Dhanush also ventured into Hindi films. His first Bollywood movie was Raanjhanaa (2013) opposite Sonam Kapoor. He later starred in Shamitabh (2015) alongside Amitabh Bachchan and continued balancing commercial entertainers like Velaiilla Pattadhari (VIP) with critically acclaimed dramas.
Dhanush also built his global profile with The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir (2018) and Netflix’s The Gray Man (2022), directed by the Russo Brothers. In 2019, the actor also won his second National Film Award for Best Actor for Asuran.
Today, Dhanush has acted in over 50 films across languages. He was most recently seen in Tere Ishk Mein, which also starred Kriti Sanon and released in theatres in November 2025. Apart from acting, Dhanush is a successful producer, lyricist, playback singer and filmmaker.
