Tamil actor Dhanush’s speech at the audio launch of his forthcoming film 'Raayan' has sparked significant online buzz. During the event, Dhanush referred to himself as an “outsider” while discussing the attention he received after purchasing a house in the elite Poes Garden neighbourhood. This statement, however, drew mixed reactions from the internet, with many reminding him of his film family background. Dhanush owns a house, reportedly worth around Rs 150 crore, near the residences of superstar Rajinikanth and the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. 

Dhanush on buying a house in Poes Garden






The actor said at the event, “If I knew buying a house in Poes Garden would have become such a big topic of conversation, I would have got a small apartment instead. Should a person like me not buy a house in Poes Garden? Should a person who was born on the streets remain living there till the end of their life?” 


Recounting his early aspirations, Dhanush recalled, “There is a small anecdote behind buying a house in Poes Garden. One day, when I was 16 and roaming around with my friend on a bike, I wished to see Thalaivar’s (Rajinikanth) house. With the help of passersby and police officers, we spotted his place, saw it happily, and left." 


“While returning on the bike, we saw a huge crowd on the other side, though Thalaivar’s house was on this side. When asked, people said that it’s Jayalalithaa’s house. I looked at both houses. At that moment, a desire bloomed in my mind; a desire to own at least a small house in Poes Garden.” 


Dhanush further shared, “At that time, we were struggling a lot. If 'Thulluvadho Ilamai' (his debut film directed by his father Kasthuri Raja and written by his brother Selvaraghavan) didn’t succeed, we would have had to start living on the streets. The house I bought in Poes Garden, after working for 20 years, was Dhanush’s gift to that 16-year-old Venkatesh Prabhu (his birth name),” he said. 


Netizens reaction


However, netizens were not happy with the statement and took to social media to criticise him for downplaying his privileged background. 


One user on X wrote, “What is this new level of idiocy from Dhanush? The guy says that the incident happened when he was 16. Was he an outsider back then? No. His father was a well-known director. Why do these actors act as if they are something out of the ordinary? Wearing a simple dress and a Rudraksha doesn’t mean someone is simple and humble. The mindset is what matters!” 




“The most irritating part for me in the audio launch was more than Dhanush’s speech: his kids were given center stage, and the artists and technicians of the movie were sidelined. Well, he is a Nepo, so he works in this way,” another user wrote. 




Another user expressed disappointment, saying, “Great actor – on screen and unfortunately off the screen too. Immense respect for Dhanush, the actor but have lost considerable respect for him as a person. Disappointed.”  


Another comment read, “Why is he trying to act like an outsider? Omg the whole of Tamil Nadu knows about him.” 




‘Raayan,’ directed by Dhanush, is set to hit screens this Friday, featuring him alongside Sundeep Kishan and Kalidas Jayaram.