Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja aka Dhanush, one of Indian cinema’s biggest stars, Dhanush was born on July 28th, 1983 in Chennai to filmmaker Kasthuri Raja. His brother, Selvaraghavan, is also an established filmmaker in the Tamil film industry. Dhanush is one of the few actors who made it to the top with unconventional looks. Despite being a nepo-kid and the son-in-law of Superstar Rajinikanth, the actor worked hard to get where he is now. With his diverse acting skills, the actor enjoys massive fandom all over the nation. The actor is currently flying high with his Hollywood success “The Gray Man.” Dhanush is also a well-known film producer and playback singer in addition to being an actor.
Let’s take a look back at the actor’s career to the present on the occasion of his birthday.
Humble Beginnings
Dhanush made his debut with “Thulluvadho Ilamai” (2002), which was directed by his father. Dhanush received a lot of criticism for his unconventional looks from critics and the audience, but the film emerged as an average grosser. Next, he appeared in his brother Selvaraghavan’s directorial debut “Kaadhal Kondein” (2003). The actor’s performance as a mentally-disturbed youth gained acclaim from the public, and the film also became a financial success.
Critical and commercial success.
Later, he appeared in some commercially successful films, but his breakthrough as a method actor came with Selvaraghavan’s gangster film “Pudhupettai” (2006). Dhanush’s astonishing portrayal as a young lad from the slums who rises to lead Chennai’s criminal underworld rocked the Tamil film industry. With “Pudhupettai”, he established himself as the leading young actor of Tamil cinema along with Vijay and Ajith. The film “Pudhupettai” is considered one of the cult classics of Tamil cinema.
National Awards and Stardom
In the mid 2010’s, Dhanush shifted his focus to experimental and offbeat genre films. He tasted success with films like “Aadukalam”, for which he won the national award in the best actor category. Later, he appeared in many critically and commercially successful films like “Mayakam Enna”, “Venghai”, “3”, “Vada Chennai”, “VIP”, “Maari”, “Asuran”, and “Karnan”.
Bollywood and Hollywood projects
Dhanush made a name for himself in Bollywood with successful films like “Ranjhanaa” , “Shamitabh” and “Atrangi Re” . He tried his luck in Hollywood with films like “Extraordinary Journey of Fakir” and “The Gray Man.”
Personal Life
On 18 November 2004, Dhanush was married to Aishwarya Rajinikanth, the daughter of Superstar Rajinikanth. They have two sons Yatra and Linga. The couple announced their divorce in January 2022.
Upcoming Movies
“Vaathi”, “Thiruchitrambalam” and “Naane Varuve” are the upcoming projects of this hero.