Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai
Chennai, Apr 23: Ahead of the release of Kara, director Vignesh Raja has revealed that actor Dhanush considers his role in the 2015 hit Maari as the most challenging performance of his career, despite having portrayed several intense and complex characters over the past two decades.
Raja, who is directing Dhanush in the upcoming Kara, said the actor made the surprising confession during discussions while preparing for the film.
“I keep asking Dhanush sir, among all the roles you have done, which one was the most challenging? Surprisingly, he said Maari,” Raja said in a recent interview.
The revelation has drawn attention as Maari, a commercial action-comedy, appeared on the surface to be one of Dhanush’s lighter roles. In the film, he played a carefree neighbourhood don known more for his body language and swagger than dialogue-heavy intensity.
Directed by Balaji Mohan, Maari featured Dhanush as a pigeon-loving local gangster whose character relied largely on presence and physical expression rather than dramatic verbal performances.
For an actor known for emotionally demanding roles in films such as Kaadhal Kondein and Asuran, Dhanush reportedly felt portraying a character built on restraint and minimal dialogue required a very different kind of discipline.
Raja shared the anecdote while speaking about Kara, which is set for release on April 30.
The film follows Karasaami, a former bank robber living in the shadow of the 1991 Gulf War, who is drawn back into crime to protect his family.
Featuring Dhanush alongside Mamitha Baiju and Suraj Venjaramoodu, the film has generated significant anticipation in the Tamil film industry.
Produced by Ishari K Ganesh under the Vels Film International banner, Kara is co-written by Raja and Alfred Prakash, the duo behind Por Thozhil.
Set against the economic and social disruptions following the Gulf War, the film is expected to explore themes of survival, morality and family amid crisis.
Raja also said Dhanush himself considers Kara among his finest work in the past decade, adding to expectations around the release.