Dhanush Wins ₹10 Crore Copyright Lawsuit Against Nayanthara
The Madras High Court on Tuesday ruled in favor of Dhanush in his copyright lawsuit against Nayantara’s “Nayanthara – Beyond the Fairytale”, rejecting Netflix India’s plea to dismiss the case.
This legal battle has garnered significant attention, especially after Nayanthara publicly addressed the issue in November 2024. She accused Dhanush of harboring personal grudges and revealed that the documentary had been re-edited to remove the disputed footage after he denied permission for its use. The dispute arose over a 3-second clip from Dhanush’s film “Naanum Rowdy Dhaan”.
Dhanush’s production company, Wunderbar Films, produced the 2015 film “Naanum Rowdy Dhaan,” directed by Vignesh Shivan and starring Nayanthara. Following the release of the documentary “Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale,” which featured footage from “Naanum Rowdy Dhaan,” Dhanush filed a lawsuit in the Madras High Court last year.
Despite seeking permission, Nayanthara was denied approval, leading to legal action. Netizens are now reacting to the court’s verdict in this high-profile case.
Netflix’s Mumbai-based subsidiary, Los Gatos Production Services India LLP, has filed applications to dismiss the lawsuit and overturn the court’s decision to allow the case to proceed in Chennai, within the jurisdiction of the Madras High Court.
The judge rejected Netflix’s application and another appeal contesting the high court’s permission to proceed with the lawsuit. Dhanush’s main lawsuit is still pending. The court clarified that its observations in this order are solely for deciding these applications and will not influence other pending applications or the main suit. The court emphasized the established legal principle that any continued broadcast of infringing material, even for a moment, weakens the copyright holder’s rights and constitutes an ongoing violation.
1 thought on “Dhanush Wins ₹10 Crore Copyright Lawsuit Against Nayanthara”