Dhanush

Dhanush Biography & Career Overview

Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja, professionally known as Dhanush, is a four-time National Film Award, eight-time Filmfare Award South-winning Indian actor, director, producer, playback singer, and lyricist widely celebrated as one of the most talented and charismatic performers in Indian cinema. Making his debut in his father Kasthuri Raja's Thulluvadho Ilamai, Dhanush revolutionized naturalistic acting through his historic collaboration with director Vetrimaaran, winning his first National Film Award for Best Actor for Aadukalam (2011) and his second for the rural masterclass Asuran (2019). He achieved global viral fame in 2011 with the chart-busting song 'Why This Kolaveri Di', debuted in Bollywood with Aanand L. Rai's romantic hit Raanjhanaa (2013), and expanded into international cinema starring in Ken Scott's The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir and the Russo Brothers' Netflix blockbuster The Gray Man (2022). Dhanush has also directed acclaimed hits like Pa Paandi (2017) and Raayan (2024), establishing himself as an elite, multi-hyphenate artistic powerhouse across national and global entertainment. As a four-time National Film Award recipient, lyricist, and director, Dhanush continues to push artistic boundaries across South Indian cinema, Hindi films, and Hollywood, making him one of Indian cinema's most gifted and versatile superstars.