Tamil superstar Dhanush has finally spoken about the controversy surrounding his National Film Awards wins. Ever since the awards were announced, many people questioned why his directorial film Raayan won the National Award for Best Tamil Film. Dhanush also received a Special Mention for Best Actor for his performance in Captain Miller, but many movie lovers felt other films and actors deserved the honour instead. Addressing the issue for the first time at a public event, Dhanush surprised everyone with his honest response. He admitted that there were several Tamil films released in 2024 that were better than Raayan, and said he completely understands why fans of those films were disappointed.
Speaking on stage, Dhanush said he respects the emotions of fans who believed other films deserved the award. Without naming any particular movie, he acknowledged that there were stronger films that year. However, he also reminded everyone that throughout his career he had delivered many critically acclaimed performances but did not receive National Awards for them. He recalled films such as Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam, Pudhupettai, 3, Mayakkam Enna, Maryan, Vada Chennai, Karnan, and Raanjhanaa, saying fans had confidently predicted he would win National Awards for those performances. Every time he mentioned one of these films, the audience erupted into loud cheers, showing their appreciation for his work over the years.
#Dhanush on National Award Controversy 👀
— Gv (@gowtham0725) July 26, 2026
"Raayan vida Meiyazhagan & Maharaja better films dhaan… Aana Pudhupettai, Vada Chennai, Karnan, Maryan, & Raanjhanaa National Award miss pannapo yaarum pesaala."
"Inniku 90% oppose panraanga… Appo 10% kooda support pannala. Thatti… pic.twitter.com/zxyqwEZqC6
Dhanush explained that sometimes success comes unexpectedly despite years of hard work. He said that while people may have different opinions about Raayan, nobody can question the effort and dedication he put into making the film. He requested critics not to overlook his achievement and instead celebrate the fact that a Tamil artist had once again brought National Awards home. He said he has now won two more National Awards for Tamil cinema and hoped people would appreciate that achievement instead of focusing only on the controversy. Quoting actor Ajith Kumar’s famous line, Dhanush added that nobody can defeat a person unless they first accept defeat themselves. He ended the speech with a playful line that drew loud cheers from the audience.
The debate over the awards has continued on social media, with many fans arguing that films like Meiyazhagan and Maharaja deserved the Best Tamil Film honour. Others also felt that the lead actors of those films should have received recognition over Dhanush’s performance in Captain Miller. Despite the criticism, Dhanush remains grateful for the recognition. After the awards were announced, he described them as deeply special because Captain Miller is a performance he considers the finest of his career. He also said winning his first National Award as a director for Raayan is a milestone he will always cherish, making this one of the most memorable moments of his journey in cinema.