Dhanush has starred in 46 films over his acting career spanning almost 20 years. Of these, only three films have been in Hindi - Raanjhanaa, Shamitabh and now Atrangi Re. The film releasing on Disney+ Hotstar also stars Sara Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar. In this interview with indianexpress.com, Dhanush, a man of few words, talks about what drives him to do Hindi films and what stops him from watching more of them. The actor also deconstructs the unpredictability that Aanand L Rai offers him with every role and why he trusts him and scriptwriter Himanshu Sharma immensely. Excerpts from the interview: Your Little Little song in Atrangi Re has become quite an earworm. With Rahman sir, I don't sit and decide. I felt overwhelmed when Aanand Rai told me that Rahman sir wants me to sing the song. I went all 'where, how, when?'. I just wanted to run and sing it right away. It is an overwhelming experience, and I had a blast recording that song. What made you say yes to Atrangi Re? When I said yes, I didn't read the script. It was Aanand Rai and Himanshu (Sharma), so I said yes. It was very close to the shoot when I heard the story. I have that kind of faith in them. There are a lot of challenges in any script, in the making process, so we had our share of exchanges. There are many things that need to be made in a very specific way, and he is the master craftsman. He has cracked it brilliantly and the film has come out really well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aanand L Rai (@aanandlrai) You've had a long association with Aanand L Rai, however his characters are really unpredictable. Like Kundan Shankar from Raanjhanaa had shades of grey. Kundan is a nice guy, yaar, come on! He is such an innocent guy for whom even a girl died. He is such a sweet village boy. On a serious note, what is the point in playing the same thing again and again, or playing a safe guy. If someone is offering me something weird or unpredictable, then I have something new to do. When there is Himanshu, I know there is something weird. It is that weirdness that is going to make all the difference, it is no fun otherwise. This unpredictable quality about Aanand Rai and Himanshu is what makes their stories so different. You think Kundan is not the good guy, but you'll love Vishu. What do you love about Vishu? It is not Vishu, it is Rinku (Sara Ali Khan's character) that I loved, and it is for Rinku that I did the film. What is your criteria to do a Hindi film? Why haven't we seen you in more Hindi films? The criteria is always the same - a good script. A lot of good scripts have come my way, unfortunately I was busy doing other things so I didn't come here (to Mumbai). When I had the time, I couldn't land the right scripts. So, it was always like a cat and mouse game. But, Aanand L Rai told me about this film a year in advance. He said, 'I am doing something for you and I'll need you around this time'. So I blocked those dates well in advance. I have made a mental note of doing more Hindi films. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aanand L Rai (@aanandlrai) Given a choice, would you prefer doing Hindi films over Tamil films? No, my heart and soul is in my mother tongue. I'll do Tamil films predominantly. I'll do Hindi films when I land very good stories, and very good filmmakers. I'll do Telugu film, Malayalam films, I'd love to do Marathi films, I will do films in any language as long as the story is good. We all are in the same industry, the same country, and I would take every opportunity to do films in the Indian film industry, but like I said, my mother tongue is where my soul is. We are all talking about pan India films. But do you think the distinction between actors and films from different regions has really blurred? In most articles I am described as a South India actor Dhanush. Why do we need it? We are all from the same country, same industry, I am an Indian actor. When you go to the West, they don't call me a South Indian actor, they call me an Indian actor and I think that's how it should be. More often than not, Hindi films serve South Indian stereotypes. It was so refreshing to hear a Tamil actor say Tamil lines in Atrangi Re trailer. I have been asked this quite a bit, but I don't know the answer. I think I haven't followed it properly, so I don't have the knowledge to answer this. What I know is that in this film it has been done very correctly. Do you watch Hindi films? What are the kind of films you follow? I try and fail. I am very busy and running around all the time. And, my kids, both my sons, want me all the time. So, whatever little time I get, I play cricket with them or we are on Playstation. It is very difficult for me to take the two-and-a-half hours to watch a movie, but I really try. I love films in general, so, I try to watch as much as I can. It is quite difficult to explain the age difference between a hero and heroine in Hindi films (Dhanush is 38 and Sara is 26 years old). Is it the same scenario in Tamil films also, how do you justify this? It is a film, and through the film, we are telling you a story. In that story, there are these two people, and in the story these two actors come in to play those two people. And when you watch the film, if it is convincing, then the job is done. You shouldn't think beyond that. There is a reason why the maker must have cast the actors in a specific way. When you watch the film, and if it (age difference/ specific casting) is not disturbing you, then it is fine.
