Dhanush Demands 1 Crore in Damages from Nayanthara and Vignesh

Tamil cinema actor Dhanush’s production company has filed a civil suit against actress Nayanthara and filmmaker Vignesh Shivan, alleging copyright infringement. The Wunderbar Films production house has sought ₹1 crore in damages.

The controversy dates back to 2024, when actress Nayanthara released her Netflix documentary ‘Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale’. The dispute started over the behind-the-scenes (BTS) footage from the 2015 Tamil film ‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’. The footage was allegedly used in Nayanthara’s Netflix documentary without proper authorization.

Legal Allegations Against Nayanthara

The movie, ‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’ was produced by Wunderbar Films, making it their intellectual property. The company in the lawsuit claimed that Nayanthara and Shivan used visuals from the film in their documentary without obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC).

Furthermore, the affidavit alleged that during the film’s production, Vignesh Shivan focused excessively on Nayanthara. Vignesh took multiple shots of Nayanthara to ensure she delivered her best performance. While doing so he allegedly neglected other cast and crew members of the film.

According to the ongoing legal battle, Dhanush’s Production house initially sought ₹10 crore in damages. The Wunderbar Films filed for an injunction to stop the documentary’s release. However, the interim injunction wasn’t entertained by the Madras High Court as the documentary had already premiered on Netflix on November 18, 2024.

Nayanthara’s Response and Open Letter

Actress Nayanthara addressed the legal claims through an open letter on social media. On November 16, 2024 in a social media post she accused Dhanush of holding a personal grudge against her and her husband Vignesh Shivan. Nayanthara further stated that before the release of her documentary she had been requesting an NOC from Wunderbar Films for two years but received no response from them. She further went on defending her decision to include the BTS footage, emphasising that Naanum Rowdy Dhaan held sentimental value for her and Vignesh, as it was the film where their relationship began.

Nayanthara revealed that only three seconds of BTS footage, captured on personal devices, were included in the documentary. She also wrote, “It’s almost been 10 years since the release of the film, and it is a long time for someone to continue to be this vile while wearing a mask in front of the world. I have not forgotten all the horrible things that you said about the film that was one of your biggest hits as a producer and a film that is loved by all even today”.

Industry Reactions

The legal battle between Dhanush and Nayanthara has become a hot topic in the Tamil film industry sparking significant debate. Director Vignesh Shivan took a dig at the lawsuit, inviting people to watch the disputed footage for free. So far Nayanthara and Vignesh have been vocal over the incident whereas Dhanush has chosen to remain silent in public but continues to pursue legal action.

Meanwhile, the Madras High Court has adjourned the main hearing in the copyright dispute between Dhanush and Nayanthara to April 9, 2025.