CHENNAI: Actor Dhanush urged students to give importance to their mother tongue, saying fluency in Tamil should come before everything else.
Addressing a school event in Chennai on Wednesday, the actor reflected on how language proficiency has changed over the years and expressed concern over the declining use of Tamil among youngsters.
"When I was in school, we were fluent in Tamil and we struggled with English. Now the situation is opposite. Now, out of the 10 people I meet, eight don't know Tamil," Dhanush said.
Emphasising the importance of preserving one's native language, he added, "One should be fluent in their mother tongue before everything else."
The actor also said that not being able to speak Tamil fluently should not be viewed as an achievement.
"To say I'm not fluent in Tamil is not a matter of pride. It's an insult," he said, urging students to focus on learning the language.
"Focus on learning Tamil language," Dhanush told the gathering.
Meanwhile, on the work front, Dhanush has a couple of projects lined up. The actor will next be seen in the film tentatively titled OM. The film OM features Dhanush in the lead role alongside Mammootty, Sai Pallavi, and Sreeleela. Written and directed by Rajkumar Periasamy, the film's music has been composed by Sai Abhyankkar. OM is set to hit theatres worldwide on October 16, 2026.