Dhanush
Personal details
  • Born:
    • Birthday: 1983-07-28
    • Born Place: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  • Also Known As:

    Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja, தனுஷ், धनुष, ധനുഷ്, ధనుష్, دنوش

Dhanush

Dhanush (born Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja on July 28, 1983) is an exceptionally versatile Indian actor, producer, director, lyricist, and playback singer who primarily works in Tamil cinema, alongside successful forays into Hindi and Hollywood films. Born to director and producer Kasthuri Raja, he initially aspired to become a chef but was compelled by his brother, director Selvaraghavan, to enter acting. He made his debut in the 2002 film Thulluvadho Ilamai and achieved his breakthrough with the critically acclaimed psychological thriller Kaadhal Kondein (2003). Dhanush is celebrated for his ability to portray intense, grounded, and complex characters, often shunning the typical hero persona, as seen in his National Award-winning performances for the films Aadukalam (2011) and Asuran (2019). His talent transcends acting; he achieved global recognition as a singer/lyricist with the viral hit "Why This Kolaveri Di" from the film 3 (2012). This success paved the way for his lauded Bollywood debut in the Aanand L. Rai-directed Raanjhanaa (2013). Furthermore, he is an accomplished filmmaker, having directed and written the National Film Award-winning film Pa Paandi (2017) and produced several critically acclaimed movies under his banner, Wunderbar Films (e.g., Kaaka Muttai and Visaranai). More recently, he expanded his global footprint with a significant role in the Hollywood action film The Gray Man (2022). Dhanush is currently one of Indian cinema's most respected artists, with upcoming projects including Raayan (his 50th film, which he also directs) and the highly anticipated Hindi film Tere Ishk Mein (2025), reuniting him with director Aanand L. Rai and music composer A.R. Rahman.

Person History