The ongoing legal battle between Tamil cinema stars Nayanthara and Dhanush has taken a dramatic turn.
Nayanthara accused Dhanush of possessing personal anger. The dispute centres around Nayanthara’s upcoming Netflix documentary, Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale, which covers her life and career.
The Legal Conflict
The controversy began when Dhanush, who produced the 2015 hit film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, sent a legal notice to Nayanthara.
He demanded 10 crore in compensation for the alleged unauthorized use of footage from the behind-the-scenes of the film in the documentary’s trailer.
The footage in question is reportedly just three seconds long and was shot on personal devices, but Dhanush claims it violates copyright laws.
Nayanthara’s Response
In an angry Instagram post and open letter, Nayanthara lashed out at Dhanush. She accused him of using the legal notice as an act of “vengeance” against her and her husband, director Vignesh Shivan, who directed Naanum Rowdy Dhaan.
She claimed that Dhanush’s refusal to grant a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for using songs, visuals, or even photographs from the film was not due to business reasons but rather a personal vendetta.
Sorry #Dhanush 🥹#Nayanthara
— Movie Tamil (@MovieTamil4) November 16, 2024
pic.twitter.com/KfQcmulwBv
Nayanthara also expressed heartbreak over being denied permission to use elements from a film that holds deep personal significance for her.
She claimed that despite two years of attempts to secure approval, Dhanush remained uncooperative, forcing her team to re-edit the documentary.
Public Reaction
Fans of both stars have been divided on social media, with some supporting Nayanthara’s emotional argument, while others defending Dhanush’s legal stance.
Using footage, songs and lyrics from a film that Nayantara did with Dhanush in her marriage documentary, which is coming on Netflix.
— Aditya Saha (@Adityakrsaha) November 16, 2024
Dhanush didn't give permission after multiple requests. So, they had to redo the edit again. Then again, he filed a complaint after Nayan used…
The controversy has sparked widespread discussion about industry politics and self-made actors’ challenges like Nayanthara.
As the release date of Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale approaches on November 18, all eyes are on whether this legal battle will continue further or if a settlement or resolution can be reached.
What do you think? Should personal disputes affect professional collaborations?