The anatomy of Dhanush’s superlative performances in Vetrimaaran’s movies

A key factor in his status as an unconventional star lies in his film choices from the very beginning of his career, particularly his works with director Vetrimaaran.

Over the course of their 16-year collaboration, Vetrimaaran and Dhanush have collaborated on seven films: Polladhavan, Aadukalam, Kaaka Muttai, Visaranai, Kodi, Vada Chennai, and Asuran. Among these, Polladhavan, Aadukalam, Vada Chennai, and Asuran featured Vetrimaaran at the helm with Dhanush essaying the lead roles. Needless to say, all four films had a profound impact on audiences with Dhanush’s performances, unsurprisingly, garnering the most recognition.

In fact, these four films and Dhanush’s acting in them are still treasured and frequently undergo analyses. As Vetrimaaran turns 48 on Monday (September 4), let’s explore Dhanush’s roles in the filmmaker’s works and seek to understand how the actor consistently delivers exceptional performances in the Vetrimaaran world.

Chemistry between filmmaker and actor

A look at Dhanush in Vetrimaaran’s worlds might lead one to ponder whether the roles he portrayed were crafted specifically for him, or if he simply harnessed his full skill to impeccably embody these characters. The answer could lean either way, but the result remains consistent: they are exceptional depictions. An essential element that consistently makes Dhanush an amazing focal point in Vetrimaaran’s cinematic worlds, facilitating his seamless performances, is the chemistry he shares with the writer-director.

This aspect plays a key part in Dhanush’s role as an actor. Take, for instance, his debut film Thulluvadho Ilamai (2002), which garnered considerable acclaim, followed by his second film Kaadhal Kondein (2003), a movie that enhanced his allure even further. While Thulluvadho Ilamai was directed by his father Kasthuri Raja and Kaadhal Kondein was under the helm of his brother Selvaraghavan, despite both belonging to distinct genres, Dhanush’s performances in these works garnered notable attention. While subsequent films contributed to his appeal, the actor’s next outstanding portrayal came in Selvaraghavan’s gangster drama Pudhupettai, showcasing that when he collaborates with a talented filmmaker with whom he easily clicks, the actor can effortlessly exhibit his peak talent and deliver memorable depictions.

At a point when Dhanush was consistently cast in romantic hero roles, which also featured fights, Vetrimaaran embarked on his debut project, the action thriller Polladhavan (2007), effectively showcasing a distinct, amazing side of Dhanush beyond the cinematic realm created by the Kasthuri Raja family.

Dhanush’s portrayal of the multifaceted character Prabhu Shankar demonstrated his capability to transcend monotonous roles. While it bore resemblances to his characters in Selvaraghavan’s films, the intricate fusion of romantic and action genres in Polladhavan enabled Dhanush to display his diverse facets within a single film.

Similarly, in Aadukalam (2011), the film that earned Dhanush his first National Film Award for Best Actor, his role Karuppu resonated profoundly with the actor’s abilities.

Examining Dhanush’s maiden directorial venture, Pa Paandi, reveals that his idea of films is grounded and nuanced, a trait that naturally emerges when he collaborates as an actor in Vetrimaaran’s projects.

Vetrimaaran’s innate and authentic storytelling approach, his crafting of characters with layers and nuances, deeply rooted in the local culture, evident not only in their later works Vada Chennai (2018) and Asuran (2019), which earned Dhanush his second National Film Award for Best Actor, but consistently throughout, undoubtedly contributes to the dynamic chemistry between the actor and the filmmaker. This synergy empowers Dhanush to consistently deliver impeccable performances in Vetrimaaran’s films.

This rapport is clearly visible in the movies they jointly financed or produced for each other, like Kaaka Muttai (2015), Visaranai (2015), and Kodi (2016), as well.

Setting the stage for Dhanush to shine by placing him in a bustling crowd scene

One of the primary drawbacks of commercial/massy films is that their entire narratives tend to revolve around the hero, with everything leading up to the male protagonist’s ultimate showdown. However, Vetrimaaran’s scripts serve as exemplary reference materials on how each character should be meticulously crafted and interwoven into the story, ensuring they possess well-developed arcs and by the conclusion of the film, these characters too undergo significant journeys rather than merely remaining in the background.

This aspect further enriches the appeal of the central characters portrayed by Dhanush. His acting prowess truly shines not when he’s the sole focus on the screen but particularly during moments that involve several characters.

For example, two instances in Vada Chennai exemplify this phenomenon. The carrom tournament just before the film’s intermission, leading up to the moment when Dhanush’s character Anbu eliminates Senthil (Kishore), is the first one. This sequence unveils a crucial facet of Anbu’s character that had been concealed from the audiences until then. Vetrimaaran deftly constructs the initial segments of this sequence by portraying Anbu as an ally of Senthil, then abruptly pivoting during a chaotic fight involving many people. This deliberate shift masterfully delivers one of the most impactful interval moments in Tamil cinema and demonstrates Dhanush’s adeptness at handling such dramatic transitions. Vetrimaaran skillfully employs both Dhanush’s real-life innocent mannerisms and his capacity to unleash an intense performance in situations that demand it, showcasing the extent to which the actor can excel, especially in scenes involving larger groups and when the spotlight isn’t solely on one person.

Conversely, another significant acting instance of Dhanush occurs when Anbu and his friend Kannan commit the murder of gangster Jawa Pazhani (Sai Dheena) and subsequently seek assistance from Guna (Samuthirakani). While the murder scene underscores Anbu’s lack of experience in criminal activities, it also highlights the extent to which he can be pushed if circumstances necessitate. On the other hand, his interactions with Guna and his wife Chandra (Andrea Jeremiah) portray Anbu’s vulnerability and gradual realisation of the gravity of his doings. Even in the presence of numerous artistes in the latter part of the sequence, all contributing equally through their reactions and parallel actions in the background, Dhanush distinguishes himself with his skill in extracting the most compelling moments from within a crowd.

Moving the characters forward once they’ve been passed on by the filmmaker

In an episode of Entertainment Weekly‘s Around the Table segment with the team of the American science fiction horror Nope, the film’s director Jordan Peele opened up about his expectations while collaborating with actors and noted: “The whole hope for me is, at some point, my actor is going to understand the character better than I can.”

Dhanush in Vetrimaaran’s cinematic world consistently exudes the impression of unwaveringly adhering to this practice. Here, he delves into the cores of his characters and portrays them with such genuine authenticity that it appears as if he possesses a deeper understanding of them than the writer-director himself.

Dhanush possesses a remarkable ability to infuse characters with undeniable charm, even when the movies themselves or his performances are very average. This can be observed in films like Thiruvilaiyaadal Aarambam (2006), Yaaradi Nee Mohini (2008), Kutty (2010), 3 (2012), Raanjhanaa (2013), Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 (2017), Enai Noki Paayum Thota (2019), and Jagame Thandhiram (2021). However, when it comes to characters penned by Vetrimaaran, there’s a certain command that Dhanush exerts. It’s not that these characters undergo a complete transformation through Dhanush, but they rarely remain exactly as they were initially written or envisioned by the maker.

The same can be observed in both Aadukalam and Asuran. In these films, Dhanush portrays the characters Karuppu and Sivasaami, respectively, and they both navigate through various life events and emotions, while not blending multiple genres.

Initially, Karuppu is depicted as just a key member of Pettaikaran’s gang. However, his journey involves falling in love, rising to challenges, overcoming obstacles in his path, and ultimately confronting his former master head-on.

Sivasaami, meanwhile, is introduced as a composed person who avoids trouble to ensure his family’s peaceful life. As the story unfolds, it’s revealed that he has a past wherein he single-handedly eliminated those who harassed and assaulted his people. The film also explores how far Sivasaami would go to protect his dear ones.

What’s remarkable is that despite both characters originating from lowered socio-economic backgrounds, Karuppu and Sivasaami are portrayed distinctly, showcasing Dhanush’s profound understanding of Vetrimaaran’s characters. He skillfully brings out the subtleties in these roles, often exceeding what is written in the scripts. This underscores Dhanush’s profound understanding of Vetrimaaran’s characters and how the director enables the actor to develop these characters beyond their initial idiosyncrasies.