Mumbai, October 26, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Actor Dhanush has previously spoken out against dividing Indian films into North and South categories, arguing that cinema should be recognised as one unified Indian industry rather than being defined by regional labels.
During his appearance on the popular chat show Koffee With Karan, Dhanush shared his views on the long-running debate over regional identities in Indian cinema. He appeared on the show alongside actress Sara Ali Khan to promote their film Atrangi Re, when host and filmmaker Karan Johar asked whether Indian films should be celebrated collectively as Indian cinema instead of being categorised as Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam or Hindi films.
“Are you also of that opinion that we should all collectively look at ourselves as the products of Indian cinema and not regional anymore?” Johar asked.
Responding to the question, Dhanush recalled expressing similar views in 2013 while promoting his Bollywood debut, Raanjhanaa. He said films should not be divided into North Indian and South Indian categories and emphasised that he considered himself an Indian actor.
“Indeed, I said it long back in 2013 when I was promoting ‘Raanjhanaa’. I said the same thing. I should be like, don’t call it North films, South films, it should be like an Indian film. I am an Indian actor. Don’t write, when you write about me, don’t write ‘South actor Dhanush’. I’m just an actor, that’s it,” Dhanush said.
His remarks reflected his view that an actor’s identity should not be restricted by the language or region associated with their films.
Speaking about Atrangi Re, Dhanush also explained why the project held particular significance for him. He said the film was important because it was directed by Aanand L. Rai, whom he affectionately referred to as his brother, while stressing that he valued every project he took on.
“I don’t see this as a very important film for me in Hindi, directed by my brother, so it is a very important film that way. Every film I do is very important for me,” he said.
Directed by Aanand L. Rai and written by Himanshu Sharma, Atrangi Re was backed by T-Series Films, Colour Yellow Productions and Cape of Good Films. The film features Dhanush and Sara Ali Khan in the lead roles, with Akshay Kumar also playing a key part.
Dhanush’s comments continue to resonate in discussions about the growing reach of Indian films across linguistic and regional boundaries, reinforcing the argument that the country’s diverse film industries can be viewed as part of a broader national cinema.
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