Dhanush Talks About Playing The Role Of Music Legend Ilaiyaraaja, Reveals He Always Wanted To Act In His Biopic

Speaking at the poster launch of the biopic, Dhanush revealed how he always wanted to act like Ilaiyaraaja. He said, “What you think, you become. Manifesting. Many of us, if we don't get sleep at night, listen to Ilaiyaraaja's songs to go to sleep. I have spent many nights wondering how it would be if I acted like Ilaiyaraaja sir. I have kept enacting those scenes in my mind without sleep. Manifesting.”

He revealed that he wanted to act in two biopics – one of Ilaiyaraaja, and the other of Rajinikanth. He called himself a fan of the musician and continued, “His music is my companion. This is true for all. Beyond this, his music is to me, a teacher in acting. From the time I did not know what acting was till now, before filming a scene, I would listen to an Ilaiyaraaja song or BGM in the same mood as that of the scene I was going to act. That music would tell me how to act in that scene. I would receive it internally and enact it. Vetrimaran has seen me do this.”

Dhanush also talked about how he will navigate playing the role. He added, “Even now people say playing this character is a big challenge, a big responsibility. But I don't see it that way because the very same music will tell me how to do this too.”

The biopic on Ilaiyaraaja will be directed by Arun Matheeswaran. While Nirav Shah will helm the cinematography, the music will be composed by the legend himself.