Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja, known professionally as Dhanush, is a preeminent Indian actor, filmmaker, lyricist, and playback singer who has become one of the most influential figures in Tamil cinema. Born on July 28, 1983, he has starred in over 50 films, earning four National Film Awards, two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, fourteen SIIMA Awards, eight Filmfare Awards South, and a Filmfare Award, while consistently ranking among the highest-paid actors in the industry and appearing six times on the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list.

Dhanush made his acting debut in 2002 with the coming-of-age film Thulluvadho Ilamai, directed by his father, Kasthuri Raja. He gained significant recognition with the critically and commercially successful Polladhavan (2007) and Yaaradi Nee Mohini (2008), establishing himself as a versatile leading man. His career reached a new peak with Aadukalam (2010), where his portrayal of a rooster fight jockey won him the National Film Award for Best Actor and the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil. He continued his successful run with a string of acclaimed films, including Maryan (2013), Velaiilla Pattadhari (2014), Anegan (2015), Maari (2015), Kodi (2016), Vada Chennai (2018), Asuran (2019), Thiruchitrambalam (2022), Vaathi (2023), and Raayan (2024), the last of which emerged as his highest-grossing release.

In 2011, Dhanush achieved global fame with the viral song "Why This Kolaveri Di" from the film 3 (2012), which became the first Indian music video to cross 100 million views on YouTube. He made his Hindi film debut with Aanand L. Rai's Raanjhanaa (2013), earning the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut and a nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of an obsessive one-sided lover. Through his production company, Wunderbar Films, Dhanush has produced numerous projects and made his directorial debut with Pa. Pandi (2017). His song "Rowdy Baby" from Maari 2 became one of the most-viewed Indian songs of all time, becoming the first South Indian video song to reach one billion views on YouTube. Dhanush won his second National Film Award for Best Actor for his powerful performance in Asuran (2019), cementing his legacy as one of Indian cinema’s most accomplished and enduring talents.