‘I told Vetrimaaran Ken Karunaas may not fit the role’: Dhanush reveals how the ‘Asuran’ actor proved him wrong

At the pre-release event of Youth, actor Dhanush fondly reminisced about the first time he laid eyes on Ken Karunaas. Ken Karunaas, who stole hearts in Asuran, Viduthalai Part 2 and Very, had already made a mark before even helming the director’s chair with Youth. The film features music by GV Prakash Kumar and stars Anishma, Devadarshini and Suraj Venjaramoodu in key roles. The film is set to release on March 19, and ahead of it, the pre-release event was held on March 13. The event turned out to be memorable for fans as Dhanush shared his experience of working with Ken.During his speech, Dhanush recalled that he first saw Ken during the photoshoot for Asuran, directed by Vetrimaaran. At that time, he admitted he was not fully convinced that Ken would be suitable for the role of his son in the film. As per News18, Dhanush jokingly said that Ken Karunaas looked a bit round and big for the character and suggested to Vetrimaaran that they might consider someone else for the role. However, the director believed in Ken’s potential and asked Dhanush to give him some time, promising that the youngster would lose weight and come prepared for the role.Dhanush further revealed that after that discussion, he did not meet Ken again until the first day of shooting for Asuran. However, the moment Ken performed his very first shot, Dhanush’s opinion completely changed. Watching his performance, he immediately realised that the young actor had genuine talent. He praised Ken for performing confidently in front of everyone despite being very young and said that he handled the scene with impressive ease. According to Dhanush, that moment convinced him that Vetrimaaran had made the right choice by selecting Ken for the role.Dhanush also graciously acknowledged Vetrimaaran for giving Ken Karunaas the opportunity that shaped his career. He said the full credit for identifying Ken’s talent belongs to the director and not to him. Dhanush added that over time, he and Ken became close friends and even bonded over playing PUBG together. His speech highlighted Ken Karunaas’ journey from a young actor to a filmmaker and reflected the encouragement he received from seniors in the industry.