Dhanush’s legal team has issued a formal statement after actress Nayanthara criticized him for suing her over the use of a three-second BTS clip from the film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. Nayanthara had called out the actor in an open letter, accusing him of demanding a hefty Rs. 10 crore for allegedly infringing his copyright by including the clip in her Netflix documentary, Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale. The actress also revealed that for two years, she had struggled to obtain the clip from Dhanush, who refused her request. Eventually, she used the footage, which led to the legal action against her.
Dhanush’s Legal Team Responds with Warning
In response to Nayanthara’s public statements, Dhanush’s legal team issued a statement requesting that Netflix remove the three-second clip from the documentary within 24 hours. The team emphasized that the footage violated Dhanush’s copyright over the film, Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. The statement read:
“Advice your client to take down the content infringing my client’s copyright over the film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan by using the same in your client’s documentary named Nayanthara Beyond the Fairytale within 24 hours, failing which my client will be forced to initiate appropriate legal action, including but not limited to seeking damages to a sum of Rs. 10 crores against your client and Netflix India.”
Dhanush’s Lawyer Dismisses Nayanthara’s Claims
Nayanthara had claimed that the three-second clip used in the documentary was shot on personal phones. However, Dhanush’s lawyer rejected this assertion, stating that as the producer of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, Dhanush knew precisely where the funds had been allocated during production. The lawyer called Nayanthara’s statement about Dhanush not commissioning anyone to shoot the clip “baseless” and challenged her to provide proof.
“My client is the producer of the film and they know where they have spent each penny for the production of the film. Your client has stated that my client has not commissioned any person to shoot the behind-the-scenes footage and the said statement is baseless. Your client is put to strict proof of the same.”
Dhanush has given them 24 hours to remove the contents of NRD movie from the documentary. If not, then #Nayanthara, @VigneshShivN and @NetflixIndia will have to face legal actions, and will also be subjected to a 10cr damage pay.
But Couples can’t tolerate this appeal . So they… pic.twitter.com/JpMfotdT7E
— Dhanush Trends ™ (@Dhanush_Trends) November 17, 2024
Mixed Reactions to Nayanthara’s Open Letter
Nayanthara’s open letter, in which she expressed shock at Dhanush’s demand for Rs. 10 crore over a three-second clip, has sparked mixed reactions. She questioned the justification for such a large sum for a piece of footage that was shot on personal devices and is publicly available. Nayanthara also expressed disappointment that Dhanush did not live up to the image he projects to the public. While many of Dhanush’s co-stars supported Nayanthara for speaking out, his fans accused her of using the situation for PR purposes.
In the letter, Nayanthara also referred to a past incident from 2016 where, after winning the Filmfare Best Actress Award, she apologized to Dhanush for not meeting his expectations in Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. During the Filmfare speech, Nayanthara revealed that Dhanush, as the producer, had been unhappy with her performance in the film, prompting her apology.
Filmfare (2016) https://t.co/oYH3QUrhf6 pic.twitter.com/aYPnUhOyJA
— Viber Raja (@Viberraja) November 16, 2024
Filmfare (2016) https://t.co/oYH3QUrhf6 pic.twitter.com/aYPnUhOyJA
— Viber Raja (@Viberraja) November 16, 2024
