Tamil Actor Dhanush Defends National Film Award Amid Fan Criticism

Actor Dhanush addressed the backlash surrounding his recent National Film Award for the Tamil movie *Raayan*. He acknowledged that many viewers felt other 2024 releases, such as *Meiyazhagan* and *Maharaja*, were stronger contenders for Best Tamil Film. Dhanush also received a Special Mention for his performance in *Captain Miller*, which he noted sparked further debate.

In his response, Dhanush said he respects fans' disappointment and recalled several earlier films—*Pudhupettai*, *Vada Chennai*, *Karnan*, *Maryan*, and the Hindi *Raanjhanaa*—that had earned critical praise but were overlooked by the awards. He emphasized that award decisions are subjective and urged critics to celebrate the achievement of a Tamil artist winning national recognition.

The remarks were made at a public event, where Dhanush’s candid acknowledgment of other strong Tamil films and his own career history was met with cheers from the audience.