Actor Dhanush has weighed in on the language debate in Tamil Nadu with a strong message for students, saying that not being able to read or write one's mother tongue should never be seen as something to be proud of. Speaking at his alma mater, Thaai Sathya Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Chennai, the actor encouraged students to stay connected to Tamil even as they learn English.

Recalling his own school days, Dhanush admitted that English wasn't his strongest subject growing up.

"When we were studying here, I couldn't speak English well. I used to speak English like 'Why did he went'. But I could speak Tamil well. But it has changed now. Out of the ten people I meet, eight of them don't know how to read or write Tamil. They speak English; they write English. But they don't know how to read or write Tamil. It is a very frustrating thing."

He then shared an incident from the shoot of one of his films in Belgium, where he worked with a French production team.

"I did a film in French production. I was shooting in Belgium. When I asked them if they knew English, they were very surprised. When they asked me if I knew English, I said, 'Yes, I know,' and they were very surprised. Because, generally, if a person doesn't know English, they will tease him. When I asked them why they were surprised, they said, 'You should know your mother tongue. But English is a bonus.'"

According to the actor, learning English is valuable, but it should never come at the cost of forgetting one's native language.

"You should learn how to read and write your mother tongue. Saying you don't know Tamil is not something to be proud of. Not knowing your mother tongue is an insult."

He also took a moment to thank his Tamil teacher for shaping his love for the language.

The event was emotional for Dhanush, who returned to the school where he studied. During the visit, he inaugurated a new three-storey academic building that he had funded. In recognition of his contribution, the school named the facility the Dhanush Block. The actor also met his former teachers and classmates and assured the school of his continued support.

Dhanush's remarks have attracted attention at a time when speculation around his political future has been growing.

In recent weeks, his speeches at fan welfare events and the expansion of his fan club's social initiatives have fuelled rumours that he could eventually enter politics, although the actor has not made any official announcement on the matter.

On the professional front, Dhanush was recently seen in ‘Kara’ and is currently working on multiple projects including ‘OM Chapter 1: Udhiram - The Blood Wood’ and Thamizh Murugan.