Actor Dhanush once picked Sonam Kapoor over Sara Ali Khan when asked to choose a better Bollywood co-star during an appearance on filmmaker Karan Johar’s popular talk show Koffee With Karan.
Dhanush and Sara appeared on the show to promote their film Atrangi Re. During the episode, Karan asked Dhanush whom he preferred working with in Bollywood, Sara or Sonam. Dhanush immediately chose Sonam, prompting Sara to respond humorously, “Wow, not offensive at all.”
Explaining his choice, Dhanush said Sonam held a special place in his life because she was his first co-star in Hindi cinema. He recalled how comfortable she made him feel when he entered the Bollywood industry from the South.
“Not taking away the kindness, sweetness, and fun Sara brought on the sets of ‘Atrangi Re’, Sonam because she was very special. She was my first co-star in Hindi films and a guy from the south coming here, and she made me feel very comfortable and very kind to me. I am very grateful for that,” Dhanush said.
During the same conversation, Dhanush also admitted that he had initially been unsure whether Sara would be able to handle the challenging role of Rinku in Atrangi Re.
“To be very honest, I was a little worried. It’s such a big role and a very difficult character to play. I asked Aanand ji (Aanand L Rai), ‘How many films has she done?’ He told me 2 or 3 films, at that point of time. I was like, ‘Can she pull it off?’” he said.
Directed by Aanand L Rai, Atrangi Re stars Dhanush, Sara Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar in lead roles. The film premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on December 24, 2021.
The film marked Dhanush’s second professional collaboration with Aanand L Rai after Raanjhanaa. The actor-director duo later reunited for Tere Ishk Mein, which also stars Kriti Sanon and was released in 2025.
Written by Himanshu Sharma, Atrangi Re was produced by T-Series Films, Colour Yellow Productions and Cape of Good Films.