Dhanush to make Bollywood debut with Raanjhnaa

January 24, 2012 - 12:01 PM IST

Kolaveri Di sensation Dhanush has been signed on by Tanu Weds Manu director Aanand L. Rai to play the lead in his next film Raanjhnaa. Raanjhnaa is a love story set against the backdrop of Banaras.

Earlier there were talks that Shahid Kapoor was to do this film but now this will be Tamil actor Dhanush's first Bollywood film. On finalizing Dhanush for the role, Aanand L. Rai says, "For the past six months, I've been looking for a simple boy to play the lead in Raanjhnaa. My requirement was a man who could look vulnerable on screen. When I saw Dhanush in the Tamil film Aadukalam (for which he won the National Award), I liked him immediately. He looks very ordinary and honest, and that was the demand of the character."

Apparently, Dhanush is not well versed with Hindi, but he is keen to explore this part of the industry and learn the local language and culture.

When quizzed about the movie, the director adds, "The film is an intense love story. Just like my film Tanu Weds Manu, the film and its characters will take you to Delhi, Punjab, Chennai, etc."

Dhanush too is very excited about the project. News is that the director had approached him for the movie before Kolaveri Di happened. "It's a big deal to get a launch like this at the beginning of my career here. Aanand's script is different from regular cinema; it's one of those 'made to make a difference' kind of films", quips the actor.

The actor who recently visited Banaras with director Aanand Rai was amazed with the culture and the traditions in a different part of the country. Buzz is that he is even planning to hire a coach to learn Hindi. He is convinced that by the time the shoot gets over, he will be able to communicate fluently in the local language.