Dhanush Vs Nayanthara row: Actor's production house sues Vignesh Shivan and actress for Rs10 million copyright infringement

Actor Dhanush’s production house, Wunderbar Films Private Limited, has filed a civil suit seeking Rs10 million in damages for copyright infringement related to Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, according to a Times Now report.

The lawsuit alleges that director Vignesh Shivan and actress Nayanthara used behind-the-scenes footage from the film in their Netflix documentary Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale without obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC). The affidavit filed by Wunderbar Films accuses Vignesh Shivan of unprofessional behavior during the film’s production, claiming he was overly focused on Nayanthara. The document reportedly states:

“The fourth respondent (Mr. Sivan) unnecessarily began focusing his attention only on the third respondent (Ms. Nayanthara), ignoring the other cast and crew of the movie. He took multiple retakes of scenes involving her to ensure she delivered her best performance while neglecting other actors.”

The Madras High Court declined to grant an interim injunction, as the documentary had already been released on November 18 last year. The court has instead scheduled the main suit for hearing on April 9.

Citing the ongoing dispute, Live Law quoted the court’s statement:

“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.”

Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan, who fell in love while working on Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, reportedly wanted to include footage from the film in their documentary. The dispute became public on November 16 last year when Nayanthara released an open letter accusing Dhanush of refusing to grant them an NOC despite repeated requests. She also claimed that the documentary used footage shot on personal devices.

While Dhanush has not responded publicly, he has now taken legal action against the couple and Netflix.

Earlier on January 28, the Madras High Court today sided with actor Dhanush, dismissing a petition by Netflix India to reject his lawsuit.