Veteran Tamil director Kasthuri Raja has revealed that his son, superstar Dhanush, entered the film industry against his own wishes and spent the early years of his career begging to be let out. The disclosure came at the pre-release event of Love Oh Love, a film in which Kasthuri Raja's grandson Pavish plays the lead role.

Dhanush's Reluctant Entry Into Films

'Among the three directors in my family, it was only Selvaraghavan — Dhanush's elder brother — who came to cinema willingly. Dhanush did not like cinema,' Kasthuri Raja said at the event. 'Until he completed five or six films, he did not like cinema. When I made Thulluvadho Ilamai, he would keep telling me, 'Dad, let me go. I will leave.' He would cry before the shot while shooting for Thulluvadho Ilamai.'

The revelation offers a striking contrast to Dhanush's current stature — one of Tamil cinema's most bankable stars, directors, and producers, with a filmography spanning over two decades and a presence in international projects as well.

Selvaraghavan's Story: The Reluctant Engineer

Kasthuri Raja also shared the contrasting journey of his elder son, Selvaraghavan, who is today a celebrated Tamil director. 'Selvaraghavan is the most educated among the members of my family. He is a medallist. He is a mechanical engineer,' he said. Despite being determined to keep his children away from the industry — he reportedly refused to take them even to private preview screenings — Kasthuri Raja could not hold Selvaraghavan back for long.

'When Selvaraghavan was in his second year in college, he came to me one day and said that he did not want to go to college and that he wanted to enter cinema,' Kasthuri Raja disclosed. Faced with this, the director resorted to a small deception: he reminded Selvaraghavan of the effort his mother had made to secure the college seat, and promised — by his own admission, falsely — that a degree would be the ticket into the industry. 'I lied to him that if he got his degree, I would get him into cinema. Selvaraghavan agreed to complete his education and did so,' he said.

Kasthuri Raja on Love Oh Love and Grandson Pavish

Turning to the occasion at hand, Kasthuri Raja praised the team behind Love Oh Love for their cohesion and discipline. 'The true strength of a good film lies in the trust and harmony shared between its producer, director, and actors,' he said. He noted that the producers had gifted their director even before the film's release — a gesture he described as reflecting 'mutual respect and affection within the team.'

He also praised the lead pair, saying both Pavish and Naga Durga had brought 'youthful energy, sincerity, and natural performances that beautifully complement the film.' The speed of the production — from its pooja ceremony to theatrical release — also drew his appreciation.

A Filmmaking Family Unlike Any Other

Kasthuri Raja's disclosures add a rare, candid dimension to one of Tamil cinema's most prominent film families. That the man who would go on to become one of the industry's biggest stars once wept on set and pleaded to quit is a detail that cuts against the mythology typically built around Dhanush's rise. It also underscores the complex, often reluctant paths through which talent sometimes finds its calling.

With Love Oh Love now headed to theatres, the spotlight turns to whether the next generation of this family — led by Pavish — can carve its own identity on screen.