Actor Dhanush reiterated his view that there is no North or South cinema, but only Indian cinema. During his appearance on Koffee With Karan with Sara Ali Khan, he urged the media to recognise him simply as an Indian actor.
Actor Dhanush has long advocated for Indian cinema to be viewed as a unified industry rather than divided into regional categories. During his appearance on the popular talk show Koffee With Karan, the actor reiterated his belief that films should be recognised as Indian cinema, regardless of whether they are made in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam or Hindi.
Dhanush appeared on the show alongside actress Sara Ali Khan to promote their film Atrangi Re. During the conversation, host and filmmaker Karan Johar asked whether Indian films should move beyond regional labels and be celebrated collectively as part of Indian cinema.
Responding to the question, Dhanush recalled that he had expressed similar views in 2013 while promoting his Bollywood debut, Raanjhanaa. He said the industry should avoid categorising films as North Indian or South Indian productions and instead recognise them as part of the wider Indian film industry.
The actor also explained that he preferred being described simply as an actor rather than being introduced with a regional label.
“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 during the discussion.
His remarks highlighted the long-running conversation surrounding the categorisation of Indian films by language and region. While Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi cinema have distinct histories, storytelling traditions and audiences, Dhanush’s comments reflected his view that these differences should not create divisions within the broader Indian film industry.
The actor’s statement also drew attention to the increasing visibility of performers who work across multiple language industries. Dhanush, who established himself in Tamil cinema, expanded his presence in Hindi films with Raanjhanaa, directed by Aanand L. Rai. The film marked an important step in his career outside Tamil-language cinema and introduced him to a wider Hindi-speaking audience.
During the same conversation, Dhanush spoke about the significance of Atrangi Re, the romantic drama directed by Aanand L. Rai and written by Himanshu Sharma. He described the project as particularly meaningful because it was directed by someone he regarded as a brother. However, he also emphasised that every film he takes on holds importance for him.
Atrangi Re was backed by T-Series Films, Colour Yellow Productions and Cape of Good Films. The film featured Dhanush and Sara Ali Khan in leading roles, with Akshay Kumar also playing a central part in the story.
The discussion on Koffee With Karan offered a glimpse into Dhanush’s perspective on his professional identity and the wider film industry. Rather than allowing language or geography to define his identity as a performer, he stressed that he should be recognised simply as an actor working within Indian cinema.
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His remarks remain relevant to conversations about the relationship between regional film industries and the larger national entertainment landscape. Indian cinema encompasses films made in numerous languages, each contributing distinctive cultural experiences, creative approaches and storytelling styles.
Dhanush’s position is that these varied traditions can coexist within a shared identity. By urging the media to avoid describing him as a “South actor,” he called for a broader understanding of Indian cinema that acknowledges regional diversity without reducing performers or their work to geographical labels.
