Dhanush to Play the Lead in Upcoming `Illaiyaraja` Biopic, Actor Shares His Excitement

By -

MARCH 20,2024

On Wednesday, the 'Captain Miller' actor Dhanush announced his next project with director Arun Matheswaran. The upcoming movie will be a biopic based on the life of music maestro and composer Illaiyaraja. In his post on X, Dhanush revealed the first poster for the new film, which shows the actor standing facing the camera with his trusty harmonium on his shoulder. The movie will be titled 'Illaiyaraja', the same name as the renowned composer, who is also known as 'Isaignani', meaning 'a musical genius'.


Dhanush to Play the Lead in the 'Illaiyaraja' Biopic

The poster for the upcoming movie was launched at a function at Leela Palace in Chennai, which was attended by Kamal Haasan, Vetri Maaran, Gangai Amaren, and Bharathiraja. The veteran actor Kamal Haasan launched the poster for 'Illaiyaraja', and shared a few words about his long-time friend: 'I don't know where to begin about Ilaiyaraaja. My relationship started as a fan, then became a brother, and now we are equals. I become happy whenever he achieves anything, and it's the same for me as well. Everyone thinks 'Kanmani Anbodu' is a love song for Guna and Abirami. But, no, it was a song for us.'

The upcoming movie will be directed by Arun Matheswaran, who previously collaborated with Dhanush on 'Captain Miller', an action-thriller drama. 'Illaiyaraja' will mark a significant departure from their previous work together. Navin Shah will serve as the cinematographer, while the musical genius Illaiyaraja himself will compose the background score and music for the biopic. The film is being produced by Connekkt Media, PK Prime Production, and Mercuri Movie.

Also Read: Captain Miller Review : Shiva Rajkumar Classy Entry in Captain Miller

Dhanush Talks About His Role and Admiration for Illaiyaraja

Dhanush shared during the poster launch that Illaiyaraja's music has served as his acting teacher in the past. Talking about the musician, Dhanush said, 'I'm a fan and a devotee of Ilaiyaraaja. His music is my companion, and it suits everyone. More than that, his music is my acting teacher. I used to listen to a song or BGM before a scene, and his music tells me how to act in the scene. That's how I act. Vetri Maaran has seen that. Many say that it's a huge challenge and responsibility. But I don't think so. I know his music will guide me. He's been there with me and will always be there with me.' He added, 'As an artist, it's an honour to be part of this project. I'm immensely happy that the invite came from Isaignani himself. I'm blessed.'

Also Read: Check Out 5 South Indian Films That Were Submitted For Oscar Nominations

Dhanush also discussed the pressure of actually achieving his dream of taking on a challenging role. He stated, 'I always say 'what you think is what you become'. Most of us listen to Ilaiyaraaja's songs at night to sleep. But I had sleepless nights thinking how I'd act like Ilaiyaraaja. I manifested it. I've always dreamt of acting in two biopicsmdashone is Ilaiyaraaja's and one is Thalaivar Rajinikanth. And one of them is coming true. It's a matter of pride for me.'

ALSO READ