From intense gangster epics to tender slice-of-life dramas, these films showcase why Dhanush remains one of Indian cinema’s most versatile leading men.
Key Points
- On Dhanush’s 43rd birthday on July 28, we look at 10 movies that showcase his remarkable range as an actor.
- From Kadhal Konden to Thiruchitrambalam, these films span romance, gangster dramas, social dramas and slice-of-life entertainers.
- The list celebrates Dhanush’s enduring collaborations with filmmakers Selvaraghavan and Vetrimaaran who helped shape some of his finest work.
Dhanush seems to be a darling of the National Awards these days, or at least his movies are.
The 72nd National Film Awards showered honours on two of his 2024 releases, Captain Miller and Raayan, surprising many who felt there were better films that came out that year.
Dhanush himself admits as much though he also defends the win. During a recent media interaction, the Tamil superstar argued that some of his better movies had actually been overlooked by the National Awards.
So which are these ‘better’ movies? Well, there are quite a few that establish why Dhanush is one of the finest leading actors in Indian cinema today across genres. A multi-faceted talent who has also found good form as a director, producer and playback singer.
Someone, whose roots lie firmly in Tamil cinema, yet who has successfully ventured into Bollywood and even Hollywood. Someone, who can convincingly play both a high-school student and a middle-aged man in the same film.
As Dhanush turns 43 on July 28, Sreeju Sudhakaran lists the 10 movies in which the two-time National Award-winning actor impressed the most.
Kadhal Konden (2003)
While Dhanush made his debut as a lead in the teenage coming-of-age film Thulluvadho Ilamai, directed by his father Kasthuri Raja, it was his brother Selvaraghavan who gave him the breakthrough opportunity that made everyone sit up and take notice.
Dhanush is a force of nature in Kadhal Konden, portraying a psychologically repressed young man who mistakes a college friend’s affection for love. From playing the meek collegian in the first half to delivering the tragic portrayal of a psychopath in the gripping second half, clearly influenced by Kamal Haasan’s Gunaa, Dhanush was a revelation here, announcing that a star had truly arrived.
I still love Yuvan Shankar Raja’s songs that simply refuse to leave my playlists, particularly Devathaiyai Kandaen and Nenjodu.
Pudhupettai (2006)
Gangster dramas always have a special place in the hearts of Tamil cinema fans, and Dhanush has loved playing around with the genre, delivering some memorable outings, as you will see in this list.
Of course, it all began with Pudhupettai, once again directed by elder brother Selvaraghavan, which turned Kokki Kumar into one of Dhanush’s most iconic characters.
The film’s cynical and violent tone, along with its dark anti-hero, a remorseless killer who has no qualms about burying his father alive, proved too cold for audiences at the time, resulting in an underwhelming box office run.
But the film has steadily earned the respect it deserved over the years, becoming one of the defining examples of Dhanush’s commanding screen presence and acting prowess. It is also worth noting that the movie features one of Vijay Sethupathi’s earliest performances in a minor role of a henchman.
Polladhavan (2007)
Every star needs that one mass entertainer to become a superstar. For Dhanush, it was Polladhavan.
Polladhavan is a captivating commercial entertainer built around an interesting hook about a man’s bond with his first bike and his relentless pursuit to recover it after it is stolen. As Dhanush’s character embarks on his search, he effortlessly transforms from a carefree romantic into a compelling action hero.
Nearly two decades later, it is still a mystery why Kollywood just can’t make commercial entertainers as thrilling and engaging as Polladhavan.
The film also marked the arrival of a filmmaker who would later establish himself as one of India’s finest voices in socially conscious cinema: Vetrimaaran, who would go on to make more masterpieces with the actor.
Aadukalam (2011)
We have mentioned the movie that made Dhanush a star and the one that turned him into a superstar. So, of course, we have to mention the one that bagged him his first National Award for Best Actor.
Reuniting with Vetrimaaran, Dhanush is stupendous as Karuppu, whose prized roosters make him a formidable champion in cockfights, no pun intended.
It is fascinating how Vetrimaaran builds an entire world around rooster fights and then uses it to weave a violent tale of jealousy, betrayal and murder among humans.
The film also marked Taapsee Pannu’s Tamil debut as the Anglo-Indian woman Karuppu falls in love with, though, like many films of that era, including some of Dhanush’s own earlier works, it unfortunately glorifies stalking as romance.
Maryan (2013)
Bharat Bala is an extremely choosy filmmaker (he has only made two feature films to date), so whenever he makes a film, it is bound to be something special.
Maryan is an ambitiously-mounted survival drama that captures the struggles of poor labourers forced to work in dangerous conditions overseas before getting caught in the political turmoil there, and the gripping journey of one man determined to survive.
Inspired by a real life story, Dhanush plays a fisherman who takes up work at an oil field in Sudan for the sake of the woman he loves, only to be kidnapped by extremists.
While the first half unfolds as a heartfelt romantic drama, elevated by a captivating performance from Parvathy Thiruvothu, the second half transforms into a gripping survival adventure. It is powered by impressive technical work, especially Marc Koninckx’s cinematography, which captures the harsh yet strangely beautiful landscapes.
The manner in which Dhanush puts his body through the grind in these sequences also has to be lauded, of course, bettered years later by Prithviraj Sukumaran in Aadujeevitham.
Maryan also features a lovely score by A R Rahman.
Velaiilla Pattadhari (2014)
R Velraj’s Velaiilla Pattadhari loves playing with genres. It is a family entertainer, a romantic comedy, a social drama and eventually an action thriller, all while packing in plenty of humour and emotions.
Dhanush shines as an engineering graduate struggling to find a job, and his chemistry with Amala Paul is top-notch.
The film connected strongly with youngsters by addressing unemployment and corruption in government-backed projects, while its middle-class family dynamics made it equally endearing to family audiences.
The film also spawned a sequel, VIP 2, with Kajol playing the antagonist, though it proved underwhelming compared to the original.
Vada Chennai (2018)
Vetrimaaran seems to enjoy placing Dhanush’s characters into ordinary street games before using them to build sprawling crime sagas around them.
Vada Chennai is an ambitious gangster epic in which Dhanush plays a happy-go-lucky carrom player from the slums who gradually rises through the underworld after fate repeatedly twists his arm.
Spanning multiple timelines and packed with memorable characters, Vetrimaaran masterfully builds a dark, brooding criminal universe, aided not only by another excellent performance from Dhanush but also by terrific supporting turns from Ameer, Andrea Jeremiah, Aishwarya Rajesh, Samuthirakani and Daniel Balaji.
Sadly, we are still waiting for the remaining chapters of Vetrimaaran’s promised trilogy.
Asuran (2019)
Whenever Vetrimaaran and Dhanush reunite, the result is always an explosive blend of powerful social commentary and extraordinary performances, turning even a straightforward revenge drama into something deeply thought-provoking.
In this grim exploration of caste politics in rural Tamil Nadu, Dhanush plays the head of a Dalit family who quietly endures oppression to avoid provoking the village’s powerful upper-caste landlords. That changes when they brutally murder his rebellious elder son, forcing him to unleash the violent past he had long buried.
The violence is brutal and disturbing, Dhanush is phenomenal in the lead role, and so is Manju Warrier as his wife. While the film occasionally feels stretched during the flashback portions exploring the hero’s past, it absolutely knocks it out of the park in the present-day narrative.
Karnan (2021)
From one socially conscious filmmaker to another.
Mari Selvaraj’s Karnan is yet another powerful example of anti-caste cinema told through a saga of violence and revenge.
What begins as a seemingly minor issue snowballs into a horrifying cycle of brutality when upper-caste oppressors, enraged that the residents of a neighbouring lower-caste village dared to question their authority, unleash bloody violence.
Dhanush plays the rebellious young man who transforms into a fearless warrior determined to secure justice for his people.
The film is filled with striking visual metaphors and memorable action sequences, while Dhanush once again delivers a commanding performance, supported admirably by Lal, Rajisha Vijayan and Natty Subramaniam.
Thiruchitrambalam (2022)
It feels rather strange to end a list dominated by dark and violent dramas with such a warm, comforting film about friendship and love.
Directed by Mithran Jawahar, Thiruchitrambalam is a light-hearted slice-of-life dramedy about a young man navigating love at different stages of his life, while his best friend quietly stands by him throughout.
It was refreshing to see Dhanush return to his boy-next-door image after a long run of intense roles, with his chemistry alongside Nithya Menen, who won the National Award for her performance, emerging as one of the film’s biggest strengths.
Anirudh Ravichander’s delightful music further enhances the film’s warmth, with Megham Karukkatha standing out thanks to both its melody and choreography. Strong supporting performances from Prakash Raj and the late Bharathiraja also add emotional weight to the storytelling.
Thiruchitrambalam remains one of the most endearing Indian films of this decade, and we really need Dhanush to make more films like this in between his heavier outings.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
