Dhanush

Dhanush is a four-time National Film Award-winning Indian actor, producer and playback singer, born on 28 July 1982 in Chennai. A leading star of Tamil cinema, he crossed into Bollywood with Raanjhanaa and Hollywood with The Gray Man, and sang the global hit 'Why This Kolaveri Di'.

Dhanush is one of Indian cinema's most acclaimed and bankable stars, a four-time National Film Award winner celebrated as an actor, producer, playback singer and lyricist. Born Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja on 28 July 1982 in Chennai, he built a reputation for choosing intense, character-driven roles and for transcending the Tamil film industry into Bollywood and even Hollywood. He also became a global sensation with the viral song "Why This Kolaveri Di". This page covers the Dhanush biography, his age, family, career, wife and net worth.

The Dhanush family is a film family from Tamil Nadu. His father, Kasthuri Raja, is a filmmaker, and his mother is Vijayalakshmi. His elder brother, Selvaraghavan, is a celebrated director with whom Dhanush has frequently collaborated, and he has two sisters. He has spoken about growing up in modest circumstances before the family found success in cinema.

Dhanush studied at Thai Sathya Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Chennai and later completed a Bachelor of Computer Application through distance education from Madurai Kamaraj University. He has candidly said he was a reluctant student and initially harboured dreams of becoming a chef rather than an actor.

The Dhanush career began with Thulluvadho Ilamai (2002), directed by his father, and he soon established himself as a leading man in Tamil cinema with films like Kaadhal Kondein and Pudhupettai, directed by his brother Selvaraghavan.

He won his first National Film Award for Best Actor for Aadukalam (2010) and later a second for Asuran (2019), cementing his reputation as one of the finest actors of his generation. He also produces films through his company Wunderbar Films.

He made a memorable Hindi debut with Raanjhanaa (2013), winning a Filmfare Best Debut Award, and later appeared in Hollywood productions such as The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir and The Gray Man. The song "Why This Kolaveri Di", which he sang, became a worldwide viral hit in 2011.

Dhanush married Aishwarya Rajinikanth, a director and daughter of superstar Rajinikanth, on 18 November 2004. The couple have two sons, Yatra and Linga. After nearly two decades together, they announced their separation in 2022 and their divorce was finalised in 2024. A devout follower of Lord Shiva, Dhanush is a vegetarian who does not smoke or drink, and he is a keen sportsman who follows tennis and football.

The Dhanush net worth is reported by third-party outlets at around ₹230 crore (a public estimate rather than a confirmed figure). His income comes from acting fees across Tamil and Hindi cinema and international projects, film production through Wunderbar Films, playback singing and brand endorsements. He reportedly owns a luxury car collection and a mansion in Chennai, and has featured multiple times in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list.