Sat Nov 16 20:07:57 UTC 2024: ## Nayanthara Accuses Dhanush of ₹10 Crore Defamation Over Netflix Documentary
**Chennai, November 16** – Actress Nayanthara has accused actor Dhanush of demanding ₹10 crore in damages for using a three-second clip from the film “Naanum Rowdydhaan” in the trailer for her upcoming Netflix documentary, “Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale”. The accusation, detailed in a statement released today, has sparked significant controversy in the Tamil film industry.
Dhanush’s legal team, represented by lawyer Arun, sent a notice to Nayanthara claiming copyright infringement. The notice asserts that Wunderbar Films, Dhanush’s production company, holds the copyright to all footage from “Naanum Rowdydhaan,” including behind-the-scenes videos, and that Nayanthara’s use of the clip, even a brief three-second segment, constitutes a violation. They argue that the footage, shot during production, is the property of the producer regardless of who filmed it. Dhanush’s legal team also pointed to the availability of behind-the-scenes footage on Wunderbar Films’ official YouTube channel since 2015 as evidence of their ownership.
Nayanthara’s statement counters that the inclusion of the short clip was unintentional and that despite a two-year effort, she was unable to secure permission to use any footage or songs from the film, which she considers one of her most significant works. She expressed disappointment that “Naanum Rowdydhaan,” which won her a Filmfare Award, was largely excluded from the documentary due to this.
The documentary, set to release on November 18th, chronicles Nayanthara’s life, career, and marriage to director Vignesh Shivan. The trailer features interviews with several prominent figures in the industry, including Atlee, Radhika Sarathkumar, Rana Daggubati, Nagarjuna, and Vishnuvardhan.
While Dhanush hasn’t publicly responded, Vignesh Shivan shared a portion of the legal notice on his Instagram page, highlighting the ₹10 crore damage claim. Several actresses, including Anupama Parameswaran, Anju Kurian, and Aishwarya Lakshmi, have shown support for Nayanthara on social media. However, others have speculated that this is a publicity stunt for the documentary.
Legal experts consulted by BBC Tamil explained that while copyright typically rests with the producer, there are exceptions for fair use, particularly in academic or research contexts. The question remains whether the three-second clip used falls under such an exception. Nayanthara states that she will respond to the legal notice accordingly. The controversy surrounding the use of this short clip and the resulting legal dispute continues to dominate social media discussions.
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