There’s something genuinely charming about lanky Tamil actor Dhanush. His  unassuming outlook might make him an unlikely Bollywood candidate, he has still managed to strike gold. After his sensational rendition of ‘Kolaveri Di’, Dhanush is back to create magic with his portrayal of a rustic small-towner in ‘Raanjhanaa’. Tracing back Dhanush’s acting career, it’s interesting how he never wanted to be part of the movies.He wanted to be a cook instead. “My mom is an incredibly amazing cook! She is not a professional, she cooks at home, and watching her in the kitchen, all I wanted was to be a cook,” he told the Times Of India. It was his film-family who forced him into the movies, with him debuting in his dad and renowned filmmaker Kasthuri Raja in 2002. His act in ‘Thulluvadho Ilamai’ was appreciated, but it was his second film and his brother Selvaraghavan’s directorial debute ‘Kadhal Kondein’ that catapulted him to the top.

He suffered a few ups and downs, but his acting was always well appreciated. He went on to marry into one of the most high profile film families in the Tamil movie industry, and is son-in-law to the iconic star Rajnikanth. Dhanush, however, has never piggybacked on those illustrious associations, and has gone about carving a niche in the movie industry. Since then he has acted in 23 Tamil movies, and has been branded a hugely bankable star. He even won the prestigious National award for the best actor in 2011 for ‘Aadukalam’. The 29-year-old was born Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja, but took Dhanush as his stage name.