The lawsuit stems from Nayanthara's use of a three-second film clip from Dhanush's production in her documentary, Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale, without his permission.
Dhanush, through his company Wunderber Films Private Limited, approached the court in November 2024. His suit claims that Nayanthara, her husband Vignesh Shivan, and their production house, Rowdy Pictures Private Limited, used visuals from the film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in the Netflix original documentary. Dhanush's legal action came after he threatened to take legal steps if the footage was not removed within 24 hours. His legal team issued a statement demanding the removal of the infringing content and warned of seeking Rs 10 crore in damages if their request was ignored.
Nayanthara, in response, took to Instagram, expressing her disappointment over Dhanush's demand, calling it an "all-time low." She criticized the actor for seeking such a hefty sum over a few seconds of footage, a move that has sparked controversy.
As part of his petition, Dhanush also sought permission from the court to sue Los Gatos Production Services India LLP, a Mumbai-based company that handles Netflix’s content investments in India. This petition is aimed at addressing the broader scope of content rights and ensuring that Dhanush’s intellectual property is protected.
The court's dismissal of Netflix’s plea has given Dhanush a legal victory, affirming the importance of intellectual property rights in the entertainment industry. This ongoing legal battle highlights the complexities surrounding the use of copyrighted content and the expectations of compensation for unauthorized usage.
