Dhanush Movies: Key Filmography
Dhanush has played the lead in 54 films across four languages. The tables below cover his most important work.
Tamil Films
| Year | Movie | Language | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Thulluvadho Ilamai | Tamil | Lead | Debut; directed by his father |
| 2003 | Kaadhal Kondein | Tamil | Vinodh | Breakthrough; directed by Selvaraghavan |
| 2007 | Polladhavan | Tamil | Prabhu | First film with Vetrimaaran |
| 2008 | Yaaradi Nee Mohini | Tamil | Vasudevan | Commercial hit |
| 2011 | Aadukalam | Tamil | K. P. Karuppu | National Award – Best Actor |
| 2012 | 3 | Tamil | Ram | “Why This Kolaveri Di”; also producer |
| 2013 | Maryan | Tamil | Maryan | Critically acclaimed survival drama |
| 2014 | Velaiilla Pattadhari | Tamil | Raghuvaran | 25th film; blockbuster |
| 2015 | Maari | Tamil | Maari | Popular mass entertainer |
| 2018 | Vada Chennai | Tamil | Anbu | Filmfare Best Actor – Tamil |
| 2019 | Asuran | Tamil | Sivasaamy | Second National Award – Best Actor |
| 2021 | Karnan | Tamil | Karnan | Directed by Mari Selvaraj |
| 2022 | Thiruchitrambalam | Tamil | Thiruchitrambalam “Pazham” | Major box-office hit |
| 2023 | Vaathi / Sir | Tamil / Telugu | Bala | Bilingual |
| 2024 | Captain Miller | Tamil | Analeesan “Easa” | Period action drama |
| 2024 | Raayan | Tamil | Kathavaraayan | 50th film; also director |
| 2025 | Kuberaa | Telugu / Tamil | Deva | Directed by Sekhar Kammula |
| 2025 | Idli Kadai | Tamil | Murugan | Also director and producer |
| 2026 | Kara | Tamil | Karasaami “Kara” | 54th film as lead |
Hindi and English Films
| Year | Movie | Language | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Raanjhanaa | Hindi | Kundan Shankar | Hindi debut; Filmfare Best Male Debut |
| 2015 | Shamitabh | Hindi | Daanish | With Amitabh Bachchan |
| 2019 | The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir | English | Ajatashatru “Aja” Lavash Patel | International debut |
| 2021 | Atrangi Re | Hindi | Vishu | With Akshay Kumar and Sara Ali Khan |
| 2022 | The Gray Man | English | Avik San | Netflix; Russo brothers |
| 2025 | Tere Ishk Mein | Hindi | Flt. Lt. Shankar Gurukkal | Spiritual successor to Raanjhanaa |
Dhanush Production House: Wunderbar Films
Dhanush founded Wunderbar Films in 2010 with his then-wife, Aishwarya. The banner has produced his own films and backed other acclaimed filmmakers.
- His own films: 3, Velaiilla Pattadhari, Maari, Vada Chennai, Maari 2, Idli Kadai and the Hindi film Shamitabh.
- National Award winners: Kaaka Muttai (2015) and Vetrimaaran’s Visaranai (2016), which was India’s official entry to the Oscars.
- Upcoming: Om: Chapter 1, co-produced with RTake Studios.
Dhanush Upcoming Movies and Current Projects
Confirmed Projects
- Om: Chapter 1 – Udhiram (The Blood Wood): his 55th film, directed by Rajkumar Periasamy, with Mammootty, Sai Pallavi, Sreeleela and Naseeruddin Shah. It is produced by Wunderbar Films and RTake Studios. It was planned for 16 October 2026, but Dhanush confirmed a postponement to avoid clashing with Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2. A new date has not been officially announced.
- D56 (working title): an action film with director Tamizharasan Pachamuthu.
Announced / On Hold
- Kalam: a biopic of former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, directed by Om Raut and announced at Cannes in 2025. Reports in July 2026 said production had not started.
- Ilaiyaraaja biopic: announced with director Arun Matheswaran, with a first look released in 2024. Recent reports say the project is on hold.
Note: dates and project status can change. The details above reflect public reports as of September 2026.
