Madras HC Rejects Netflix’s Plea to Quash Dhanush’s Copyright Infringement Suit Against Nayanthara
The Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed Netflix's application to reject Tamil superstar Dhanush's copyright infringement suit against actress Nayanthara.
Chennai: The Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed Netflix’s application to reject Tamil superstar Dhanush’s copyright infringement suit against actress Nayanthara.
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The suit concerns the alleged unauthorized use of visuals from the Tamil film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in Netflix’s docu-drama Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale.
Netflix and Los Gatos’ Plea Rejected
The court also dismissed an application by Los Gatos Production Services India LLP, the company managing Netflix’s content investments in India. Los Gatos had argued that the case should not proceed in Chennai, as the company is based in Mumbai. However, Justice Abdul Quddhose ruled in favor of senior counsel P.S. Raman, assisted by Gautam S. Raman, stating that the applications lacked merit.
Legal Battle Over Unauthorized Use of Footage
The issue centers around the use of behind-the-scenes (BTS) footage from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in the docu-drama. In its affidavit, Wunderbar Films, the production company owned by Dhanush, argued that neither Nayanthara nor Netflix had the right to use any footage from the 2015 film without prior permission.
Sreyas Srinivasan, the director of Wunderbar Films, stated that Nayanthara had signed an agreement in 2014 transferring all rights related to her performance, likeness, name, and voice to the production company. Wunderbar Films claimed that they discovered the unauthorized use of BTS visuals in the docu-drama’s trailer and issued a notice to Netflix in November 2024.
Nayanthara’s Response and Public Dispute
In response, Netflix and Tarc Studios LLP, the docu-drama’s producers, claimed the visuals were personal and not shot by commissioned personnel from Wunderbar Films. The dispute came into the public eye just days before the docu-drama’s release on November 18, 2024.
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On November 16, Nayanthara posted an open letter to Dhanush on social media, stating that she had asked for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Wunderbar Films for two years but had not received one. She explained that the short footage used in the docu-drama was significant to her personal relationship with her now-husband, director Vignesh Shivan.
Nayanthara also accused Dhanush of holding a personal grudge and claimed that only a few seconds of BTS footage had been used, making Dhanush’s legal notice seeking ₹10 crore in damages unjustifiable.
Court’s Next Steps
The Madras High Court has scheduled a further hearing for February 5 to discuss the interim relief sought by Wunderbar Films regarding the use of the visuals from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in the docudrama.