Dhanush is a versatile and acclaimed actor, producer, director, lyricist and singer who works predominantly in Tamil cinema. He was born as Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja on 28 July 1983 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He is the son of film director and producer Kasthuri Raja and the younger brother of director Selvaraghavan. He married Aishwarya, the elder daughter of superstar Rajinikanth, in 2004 and they have two sons, Yatra and Linga.

Dhanush made his acting debut in 2002 with Thulluvadho Ilamai, a coming-of-age film directed by his father. He rose to fame with his performances in Polladhavan (2007), Yaaradi Nee Mohini (2008) and Aadukalam (2010), for which he won his first National Film Award for Best Actor. He also won critical acclaim and popularity for his roles in films like Maryan (2013), Velaiilla Pattadhari (2014), Anegan (2015), Kodi (2016), Vadachennai (2018) and Asuran (2019), for which he won his second National Film Award for Best Actor. He has also acted in Hindi films like Raanjhanaa (2013) and Shamitabh (2015), and in an English film, The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir (2018).

Dhanush is also a successful producer, who has co-produced several films under his banner Wunderbar Films, such as Kaaka Muttai (2014), Visaranai (2015) and Pa Paandi (2017), which also marked his directorial debut. He has also written lyrics for many songs, including the viral hit “Why This Kolaveri Di” from 3 (2012), which became the first Indian video song to cross 100 million views on YouTube. He has also sung many songs in Tamil and Hindi films, such as “Voda Voda” from Mayakkam Enna (2011), “Don-u Don-u Don-u” from Maari (2015) and “Rowdy Baby” from Maari 2 (2018), which became one of the most-viewed Indian songs of all time on YouTube.

Dhanush is one of the most popular and influential actors in Tamil cinema, who has won numerous awards and accolades for his work. He has been featured in the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list six times, based on his earnings and fame. He is also known for his philanthropic activities and social causes, such as supporting education for underprivileged children and promoting organ donation.