Tamil actor Dhanush is set to essay Ilaiyaraaja in the biopic of the legendary music composer. Multiple reports state that the film will go on floors next year.
The news was confirmed on Tuesday by journalist Latha Srinivasan who posted on X: “According to trusted sources, it has been confirmed that National Award-winning star Dhanush will be playing Isaignani Illaiyaraaja in his biopic. Sources added that the movie will go on floors in 2024 and will release in 2025.”
She further stated that a few months back, composer Yuvan Shankar Raja had said that he would love to see Dhanush play his father in a biopic. “...the stars seem to have aligned. This is the first biopic Dhanush will be seen in and it is an iconic role,” she wrote.
The 80-year-old music composer has to his credit some of the most iconic songs in Indian cinema, particularly Tamil and Telugu. Ilaiyaraaja, who has composed over 7,000 songs, is often referred to as Isaignani or 'musical sage'. The musician, who has also sung many of his compositions in several films, is also a talented multi-instrumentalist who played the guitar in a band in Chennai during the 1970s, and worked as a session guitarist, keyboardist, and organist for music composers like Salil Chowdhury. The 'maestro' is known for his compositions that blend in folk music, traditional Indian instruments and elements of western classical music.
On the work front, Dhanush is gearing up for the release of period actioner Captain Miller on December 15.