The legal battle between actor Dhanush’s production house, Wunderbar Films Private Limited, and actress Nayanthara along with her filmmaker husband Vignesh Shivan has intensified. The production house has filed a civil suit seeking ₹1 crore in damages, alleging copyright infringement and unprofessionalism during the making of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, as per a Times Now report.
Allegations Against Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan
Dhanush’s Wunderbar Films has accused Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan of using behind-the-scenes footage from the 2015 Tamil film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in their Netflix documentary Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale without obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC). The affidavit claims that Vignesh Shivan, who directed the film, displayed unprofessional behavior by focusing excessively on Nayanthara while neglecting other cast and crew members.
According to the legal document, “The fourth respondent (Vignesh Shivan) unnecessarily began focusing his attention only on the third respondent (Nayanthara), ignoring the other cast and crew of the movie by taking multiple re-takes of scenes involving the third respondent to ensure only she gave her best performance, without prioritizing the other actors.”
Legal Proceedings and Court’s Response
The Madras High Court previously declined an interim injunction request since the docu-series was already released on November 18, 2024. The court has scheduled the hearing for the main suit on April 9.
Citing Live Law, the court stated, “It is common ground between the parties that the documentary has been exhibited since 18th November 2024. Without prejudice to the contentions raised in the interim application, the plaintiff is ready and willing to proceed with the suit on merits. Therefore, OA 958 of 2024 is closed without any orders.”
The Dispute Between Dhanush and Nayanthara
The disagreement between Dhanush and Nayanthara became public on November 16, 2024, when Nayanthara published an open letter accusing Dhanush of refusing to grant them the necessary permissions for using the footage, despite multiple requests. She claimed that the footage used in the documentary was shot on personal devices.
While Dhanush has remained silent on the matter publicly, his production house has now escalated the issue by taking legal action against Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, and Netflix. The industry is closely watching how this legal dispute unfolds.
Sources By Agencies
