In what could be termed as a win for actor Dhanush, the Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed Netflix India's plea to dismiss the actor's copyright claims over the documentary Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale. The documentary, which chronicles actress Nayanthara's wedding, was released on Netflix’s OTT platform on November 18, 2024.
Dhanush's Wunderbar Productions, which had produced the film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, filed a case claiming that behind-the-scenes footage from their film had been used without permission in the documentary.
The production house has sought compensation of Rs 10 crore (Rs 100 million) stating that the footage had been used improperly.
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On Tuesday, Judge Abdul Kuthus dismissed Netflix's plea. The main copyright case filed by Wonderbar Productions will now be heard on February 5, according to Live Law.
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Nayanthara vs Dhanush
In December, Dhanush's legal team issued a statement demanding Nayanthara remove the infringing content within 24 hours. Failure to comply would result in legal action, including a potential claim for damages of Rs 10 crore against Nayanthara and Netflix India.
Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan's documentary, Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairytale, was released on Netflix on her birthday, November 18.
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Days before its release, Nayanthara wrote a scathing open letter to Dhanush after he denied issuing a NOC (No Objection Certificate) for the use of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan clips. The film featured her and was directed by Vignesh Shivan. The two started dating on the sets of the film.
The documentary eventually used a 3-second BTS clip from the film, which the actress claimed was shot from her phone.
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