The Madras High Court dismissed Netflix India’s plea to dismiss actor Dhanush’s copyright claims over Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairytale documentary. The copyright claim was around the behind the scenes (BTS) footage from Naanum Rowdy Thaan film, which Dhanush produced, and claimed to be used without permission for the documentary.
Released in November 2024, the documentary was all about actress Nayanthara’s wedding and her personal journey. Prior to the release on Netflix, Dhanush had objected as there was a three second BTS clip from Naanum Rowdy Thaan, as it was said the footage was owned by Dhanush’s production house (Wunderbar Films) and used without proper authorization. His legal team sent a notice to Nayanthara and Netflix, demanding to remove the documentary within 24 hours, failing to do so they will have to pay 10 crores.
To the response for the notice sent by Dhanush’s legal team, Nayanthara defended the use of the BTS footage, claiming the clip was recorded in her personal phone. However, Wunderbar Films maintained that all BTS footage was shot by them and uploaded on their YouTube Channel, making them the rightful copyright holder.
High Court’s Response
Netflix had filed a petition to the court to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Dhanush. However Justice Abdul Quddhose stated that Dhanush had a valid reason to file the suit in Chennai since the other respondents including Nayanthara and her production team operate within Tamil Nadu. The judge rejected Netflix’s plea allowing the main copyright suit to proceed with the hearing to be scheduled on 5th February. The court also said any continued streaming of the video could dilute the rights of the copyright holder.
With the Madras High Court rejecting Netflix’s plea to dismiss the case, the issue is far from over, the court will still process the hearing on the copyright case, which will decide whether the documentary that had the BTS video belongs to whom.
Source: Hindustan Times
