My top 10 of Dhanush best films

TALENTED actor and filmmaker Dhanush has had a number of cinematic landmarks in a short space of time, which includes an upcoming Hollywood debut.

The multi-talented South Indian superstar just celebrated his 35th birthday. To mark the film star turning a year older, Eastern Eye went through his body of work to select 10 highlights that should be revisited...

Yaaradi Nee Mohini (2008): The Tamil remake of Telugu hit Aadavari Matalaku Arthale Verule was one of the biggest hits of that year and garnered several award nominations. Dhanush garnered a Filmfare Best Actor award nomination for his role as a young man struggling to find employment and the hand of the woman that he loves.

Aadukalam (2011): The blockbuster hit saw him become one of the youngest recipients to ever win a National Best Actor award. The gritty drama about friendship, love and betrayal centred on the village blood sport of cock-fights saw him deliver a powerhouse

performance that catapulted him into the A-list.

3 (2012): The actor teamed up with his wife Aishwarya Rajinikanth Dhanush, who wrote, directed and produced the hit romantic drama. The film is best remembered for the blockbuster song Why This Kolaveri Di, which Dhanush sang and earned a Filmfare Best Singer award for.

Raanjhanaa (2013): The actor’s first Hindi film was a massive success, earning him a Filmfare and IIFA Best Debut award. His portrayal of a man who is hopelessly in love with a woman he can’t have won acclaim across the board and helped the film generate some big box office numbers.

Maryan (2013): The Tamil drama earned Dhanush a Filmfare Best Actor (Critic’s choice) award for his performance. He plays a man separated from his ladylove with a trip to Sudan, where he is kidnapped and must escape. The multi-layered film won critical and commercial acclaim.

Velaiilla Pattadhari (2014): The Tamil language comedy drama was so popular that it spawned a sequel in 2017. He won a whole host of awards for his portrayal of a young man who becomes responsible after tragedy strikes and strives to make a difference. The blockbuster hit had comedy, emotion, romance and a strong message.

Kaaka Muttai (2015): Dhanush produced one of the finest children’s films ever made in India and in the process bagged a National Award for his efforts. The heartwarming story of the must-see movie revolves around two slum boys who go on a quest to eat pizza.

Pa Pandi (2017): The actor made his directorial debut with this comedy-drama, which he also wrote and produced. The uplifting story revolves around an elderly man who takes a road trip on his motorbike and goes on a quest to find his first love.

Kaala (2018): The actor produced the recently released film, which starred his famous father-in-law Rajinikanth in the lead role. The story of a powerful gangster who is a tough Robin Hood-type figure was released in a number of languages and was a big hit.

The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir (2018): The actor’s first foray into Hollywood

is a comedy-adventure based on a bestselling novel. He portrays a magician and trickster who goes on a colourful adventure around the world.