The Madras High Court has issued a notice to the production house behind Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale in response to a petition alleging the unauthorized use of scenes from Rajinikanth’s 2005 film Chandramukhi. A notice has also been sent to the OTT platform currently streaming the documentary.
The petition was filed by AP International, a film distribution company that holds the copyright for the Rajinikanth-starrer Chandramukhi, in which Nayanthara played a prominent role.
The company claimed that the documentary, which explores the life of the Jawan actress, included clips from Chandramukhi that were directly taken from its official YouTube channel without permission or a proper license. They further stated that a cease-and-desist notice had already been issued, demanding an end to the unauthorized use of the footage, and are now seeking ₹5 crore in damages.
Reportedly, after receiving the notice, the production house approached the distribution company to obtain the digital exploitation rights. However, the two parties were unable to come to an agreement regarding the rights. The distribution company is now seeking a permanent injunction to have the infringing portions of the documentary removed.
The documentary is already entangled in legal issues, as Dhanush’s production company, Wunderbar Films, filed a separate lawsuit earlier this year. They alleged that the documentary makers used a clip from their 2015 film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan without proper authorization. The controversy escalated when Nayanthara publicly addressed Dhanush in an open letter, criticizing him for demanding ₹10 crore in compensation for the use of the footage.
Source: Times of India
