At a time when reports about farmers committing suicide due to debts have become a regular thing, Dhanush’s humanitarian gesture of donating Rs 50,000 to each of the families of 125 farmers who had perished, has garnered praise. He personally distributed money to the tune of Rs 80 lakhs at a simple event at his native near Sankarapuram in Theni. His family — wife Aishwarya and parents Vijayalakshmi and Kasthoori Raja were also present. There’s also a back-story to the philanthropic gesture by the national award-winner.
Apparently, after watching the documentary Kolai Vilayum Nilam made by journalist-turned-filmmaker Rajiv Gandhi on the plight of farmers from Tanjore and other parts of Cauvery delta region, Dhanush felt that he should do something for the farmers. He initially came to know about the documentary from the director Subramanya Siva (who gave Dhanush the blockbuster film Thiruda Thirudi). Siva belongs to a agricultural family and was present during the launch of Kolai Vilayum Nilam. Reportedly, he had also explained the predicament the farmers face in detail to Dhanush, which has led to this honourable task.
