Dhanush’s National Award moment on September 22 placed another milestone in his long career, this time recognising his work behind the camera. His directorial Raayan won Best Tamil Film, while his performance in Captain Miller received a Special Mention at the 72nd National Film Awards.
Dhanush receives double recognition at National Film Awards
Dhanush had a significant evening at the 72nd National Film Awards in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, where President Droupadi Murmu presented the honours on September 22. The ceremony was held outside New Delhi for the first time, adding another notable detail to an already important occasion for the actor-filmmaker.
The National Film Awards had announced Dhanush as the recipient of two recognitions earlier in July. His 2024 Tamil film Raayan was named Best Tamil Film, while his performance in Captain Miller received a Special Mention. The awards recognise two different sides of his career, with one connected to his work as a director and the other to his acting.
For Dhanush, the Raayan award is particularly significant because it is his first National Award recognition as a director.
He has already won National Awards for acting, making this latest recognition an important addition to a career that has increasingly moved between acting, producing, writing, singing and filmmaking.
Raayan marks a major step behind the camera
Raayan was Dhanush’s second directorial venture. The film followed his directorial debut Pa Paandi, which was released in 2017. There was a gap of several years before he returned to directing with Raayan, which arrived in theatres in 2024.
The film was written, directed and headlined by Dhanush. It centres on a man who becomes involved in a violent conflict between rival groups while attempting to protect his family. The story is set against a North Chennai backdrop and combines family relationships with crime and revenge.
The National Film Awards jury selected Raayan as the Best Tamil Film among the eligible films from 2024. The recognition therefore extends beyond Dhanush’s performance in the film and formally acknowledges the film itself.
The award also places greater attention on Dhanush’s development as a filmmaker. While his career was established primarily through acting, directing has gradually become another part of his creative work.
From Pa Paandi to Raayan
Dhanush’s directorial journey began with Pa Paandi, a Tamil drama centred on an ageing former stuntman who sets out to reconnect with a woman from his past.
The film gave Dhanush his first opportunity to work as a director on a feature-length project. It also showed an interest in stories built around relationships, personal memories and emotional conflicts rather than relying entirely on the conventional image of a commercial Tamil star.
Raayan moved into a considerably darker territory.
The film combined crime, family loyalty and violence and gave Dhanush the responsibility of handling both the camera and the central character. That combination can create an unusual filmmaking challenge because the director must simultaneously shape the overall film and perform within it.
With Raayan, Dhanush took on that dual role at a much larger commercial scale.
The National Award now gives formal recognition to that transition, although the award itself belongs to Raayan as Best Tamil Film rather than being a separate Best Director award. This distinction is important when describing Dhanush’s latest National Award achievement.
Dhanush’s acting career already had National Award history
The new directing recognition comes after a substantial record as an actor.
Dhanush won the National Award for Best Actor for Aadukalam, his 2010 Tamil film directed by Vetrimaaran. He later won the same honour for Asuran, which was released in 2019. The official National Film Awards records also list his earlier acting recognitions.
His performances have also taken him beyond Tamil cinema.
Dhanush made his Hindi film debut with Raanjhanaa in 2013 and later appeared in Shamitabh. His international profile expanded further with his role in the Hollywood film The Gray Man.
At the same time, he continued working across Tamil cinema as an actor, producer and writer.
That background makes the Raayan recognition different from a first major award in a new field. Dhanush had already spent years moving between different parts of filmmaking before receiving a National Award for a film he directed himself.
Captain Miller adds another acting recognition
Dhanush’s National Award evening was not limited to Raayan.
His performance in Captain Miller received a Special Mention. The film, directed by Arun Matheswaran, is set during the pre-Independence period and follows Dhanush’s character through a story involving violence, oppression and resistance.
The film itself also received the National Award for Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values.
The Special Mention for Dhanush therefore adds another layer to his 2026 National Award record. While Raayan recognised the film he directed, Captain Miller brought attention to his work as a performer.
The two honours together illustrate the different roles he has continued to occupy within the Indian film industry.
His filmmaking journey is expanding beyond Raayan
Raayan is not the only directorial project Dhanush has worked on.
Following Raayan, he directed Nilavuku En Mel Ennadi Kobam, which was released in 2025, and Idli Kadai, another 2025 release. This means his work behind the camera has moved beyond a single experiment and become a continuing part of his professional career.
That progression is worth noting because Dhanush’s directing career has developed alongside an already busy acting schedule.
His upcoming projects also continue to keep him active as an actor and filmmaker. Current coverage includes Om, directed by Rajkumar Periasamy, with Dhanush in the lead alongside Mammootty and Sai Pallavi.
The combination of acting and directing means Dhanush is increasingly positioned across multiple stages of film production rather than being associated with only one role.
Raayan’s award also generated debate
The National Award for Raayan was not without discussion.
After the winners were announced in July, sections of the Tamil film audience questioned the jury’s decision and argued that other 2024 Tamil films should have received the Best Tamil Film honour. Dhanush later addressed the criticism publicly and acknowledged that he believed there were other strong films that year.
The debate, however, does not change the official result. Raayan remains the recipient of the 72nd National Film Award for Best Tamil Film.
For Dhanush, the recognition also represents a different kind of achievement from his previous acting awards. His earlier National Awards established him as an acclaimed performer. Raayan has now added recognition for a film he directed.
What the award means for Dhanush’s career
Dhanush’s latest National Award does not mark the beginning of his filmmaking journey. Instead, it comes after years of work across several areas of cinema.
His career has included acting, playback singing, songwriting, production and directing. The National Award for Raayan adds another formal recognition to that broader creative portfolio.
The significance of the moment lies particularly in the fact that Dhanush was recognised for a film he both directed and led as an actor. At the same ceremony, his acting in Captain Miller was separately acknowledged through a Special Mention.
The two honours therefore provide a snapshot of where his career stands in 2026.
Dhanush remains an active actor, but directing has become a sustained part of his creative work. Whether that eventually becomes a larger share of his career will depend on his future projects and the choices he makes as a filmmaker.
For now, Raayan has given that directorial journey its first National Award recognition, adding a new chapter to one of Tamil cinema’s more varied contemporary careers.
Takeaways
- Dhanush received the Best Tamil Film National Award for Raayan, which he directed and also headlined.
- His performance in Captain Miller received a Special Mention at the 72nd National Film Awards.
- Raayan is Dhanush’s first National Award recognition specifically connected to his work as a director.
- His directorial journey began with Pa Paandi and has continued with Raayan, Nilavuku En Mel Ennadi Kobam and Idli Kadai.
FAQs
What National Award did Dhanush receive for Raayan?
Raayan won the Best Tamil Film award at the 72nd National Film Awards. Dhanush directed and starred in the film, making the recognition his first National Award as a director.
Did Dhanush also receive an award for acting?
Yes. Dhanush received a Special Mention for his performance in Captain Miller, directed by Arun Matheswaran.
What was Dhanush’s first directorial film?
Dhanush made his feature directorial debut with Pa Paandi in 2017. Raayan was his second directorial film and later won the Best Tamil Film award at the 72nd National Film Awards.
How many National Awards has Dhanush won as an actor?
Dhanush previously won the Best Actor National Award for Aadukalam and Asuran. His 2026 Special Mention for Captain Miller adds another acting recognition, while Raayan gives him his first National Award recognition as a director.
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