Nayanthara vs Dhanush is going on in Tamil cinema for the last two days. On November 16, the Annapurnani actor wrote a condemnatory letter addressed to Dhanush in response to his legal notice over the unauthorized use of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’s clip in the Netflix documentary titled Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale. They called him a tyrant and urged him to let people live their lives. However, the open letter has sparked a heated debate, with fans and industry people taking sides on who is right and who is wrong.

As everyone waits for Dhanush’s response, India Today Digital spoke to producers and a lawyer from the Tamil film industry about the ongoing copyright dispute.

What was the reason for Nayanthara’s anger against Dhanush?

Nayanthara and her husband, director Vignesh Shivan, have been working on the documentary for two years. Just days before its official release on Netflix on November 18 (on the occasion of her birthday), Nayanthara raised eyebrows by writing a three-page note that lashed out at Dhanush.

This was in response to Dhanush’s legal notice to Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan, demanding compensation of Rs 10 crore for the unauthorized use of three seconds of footage from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. He was the producer of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, the film that brought together Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan.

Hitting back at Dhanush, Nayanthara called him a tyrant and mentioned that she had been after him and his team for two years to get the NOC (No Objection Certificate) to use clippings from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan – a film which Is central to both his career and. Her relationship with Vignesh Shivan – in the documentary.

He wrote, “This is the lowest you’ve ever been and says a lot about your character. I wish you were half the person pictured to be on stage at the audio launch in front of your innocent fans, but frankly, You don’t practice what you preach, at least not for me and my partner.”

Here is his full note:

While Vignesh Shivan and Nayanthara moved forward in releasing the documentary with BTS (behind-the-scenes) scenes of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, Dhanush’s legal team emphasized the fact that the actor has a role as a producer (also of BTS ) have rights.

An excerpt from the legal notice served to Nayanthara reads, “My client is the producer of the film and your client has stated that my client has not appointed any person to shoot the behind-the-scenes footage and The said statement is baseless and your client should do so.” Have solid proof of this.”

Here’s the clip used in the Netflix documentary:

Nayanthara or Dhanush – who is right in this fight?

National Award-winning producer J Sathish Kumar aka JSK, in an exclusive conversation with India Today Digital, emphasized the controversy as a battle between one’s legal status and moral ethics.

JSK said, “Dhanush could have given the NOC when Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan requested him. It’s just a three-second clip and it’s not a big deal. I would have seen it as an ego clash between Dhanush and Nayanthara. There is no conflict between them.” Commendable. Everyone knows that Naanum Rowdy Dhaan is a life-changing film in his career, when other producers have given NOC, why can’t Dhanush give it?”

He also said that as a producer he has seen many of his film clips aired without proper permission. “It should be a policy of give and take. BTS images and scenes, if mentioned in the agreement, can be included in the copyright. But, we need to react to this on a case-by-case basis.”

Watch the trailer of the documentary here:

A leading producer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, criticized Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan for making the matter ugly. The producer informed, “Everyone knows that the documentary initially started as a wedding film and has now taken the shape of a film about her career, personal and professional life. She has shared her wedding scenes on Netflix. Sell ​​it at a heavy price. She’s not doing it for free either. Why shouldn’t Dhanush fight for her?”

The producer revealed that Dhanush had problems with the couple during the making of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. The producer commented, “She has had issues since 2015 and Dhanush not giving NOC is the last nail in the coffin. Nayanthara could have dealt with it in a more mature manner than tearing Dhanush down on a public platform.”

Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan show double standards: Producer SS Kumaran

Soon after the open letter went viral, producer, director and composer SS Kumaran made serious allegations against Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan. He mentioned that he owned the rights to the title LIC (which is also a film directed by Vignesh Shivan). However, despite the refusal, Vignesh Shivan used it as the title of his film.

Speaking exclusively to India Today Digital, Kumaran said, “In 2015, I registered the title LIC (Life is Colorful) and kept renewing it every year for six years. In 2023, when I start shooting the film. Vignesh Shivan’s manager called him requesting for the title. I refused to give him the title and said, ‘I had already sold my title hero to Sivakarthikeyan’s film at a price, so I can’t give it to him. Give.”

Kumaran said that he received a call from Vignesh Shivan a week later. “They claimed they had the rights to the title and asked me how I got it. This resulted in a heated debate. They then proceeded to name their film LIC, despite knowing that I had the rights I sent a legal notice to Vignesh Shivan. Rowdy Pictures filed a complaint with the Producer Council, then LIC (Life Insurance Corporation) sent him a notice, after which he changed the title to Love Insurance Company (LIK).

The producer said that Nayanthara needs to be reminded that her husband has stolen her name. “For a three-second clip, they turned against Dhanush. I went into depression after my title was stolen. This controversy exposes their double standards. Now the same is being done to them,” he lamented. What they did to me.”

Dhanush or Nayanthara – who will win the case?

V Sundararaman, a lawyer at the Madras High Court, told India Today Digital, “Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan have a solid case in hand. They have claimed that they have used only BTS scenes in the film. If the clippings are used in the film, If this is done, Dhanush can claim copyright. It is similar to Ilaiyaraaja’s copyright case. The case may also go in favor of Nayanthara.”

In Dhanush’s legal notice, his lawyer Arun mentioned that the BTS footage along with the film and music is his and solely belongs to Dhanush’s Wunderbar Pictures.

It remains to be seen whether Dhanush will initiate legal proceedings against Netflix and Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan’s production house, Rowdy Pictures, over the use of BTS clips of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in the documentary.