Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja (born 28 July 1983), known by his stage name Dhanush, is an Indian film actor, producer, lyricist and playback singer who has worked predominantly in Tamil cinema. In 2011, he won the National Film Award for Best Actor for the Tamil film Aadukalam and in the same year, he received international attention for his song "Why This Kolaveri Di", which went on to became the most viewed Indian song in YouTube. As of 2014, he has won five Filmfare Awards.

 

His first film was Thulluvadho Ilamai, a 2002 coming-of-age movie directed by his father, Kasthuri Raja.[4] Over the next ten years, Dhanush featured in 25 movies and made his Hindi debut in Raanjhanaa in the year 2013.