Madras HC rejects Netflix’s bid to quash Dhanush’s suit against Nayanthara

Madras HC rejects Netflix’s bid to quash Dhanush’s suit against Nayanthara

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Chennai: The Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed an application filed by the OTT platform Netflix seeking to quash Tamil superstar Dhanush’s copyright infringement suit against actress Nayanthara. The case revolves around the alleged unauthorized use of visuals from the Tamil film 'Naanum Rowdy Dhaan' in the Netflix docu-drama 'Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale'.

Justice Abdul Quddhose also rejected another application filed by Los Gatos Production Services India LLP, the entity managing Netflix’s content investments in India, which sought to revoke the court's earlier leave granted to Wunderbar Films, owned by Dhanush, to file the suit in Chennai. Los Gatos argued that the case should not proceed in Chennai, as the company is based in Mumbai.

The court, ruling in favor of senior counsel P.S. Raman, assisted by Gautam S. Raman, determined that the applications by Los Gatos lacked merit. The next hearing is scheduled for February 5, during which the court will consider interim relief sought by Wunderbar Films regarding the use of visuals from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in the Netflix docu-drama.

In an affidavit, Sreyas Srinivasan, director of Wunderbar Films, stated that neither Netflix nor Nayanthara had the right to use any footage, including behind-the-scenes (BTS) visuals from the 2015 movie, without prior permission from the production house. According to Srinivasan, Nayanthara signed an artist agreement with Wunderbar Films on August 27, 2014, which transferred all rights related to her performance, likeness, name, and voice in connection with the movie to the company in perpetuity.

Wunderbar Films claimed it discovered the unauthorized use of BTS visuals in the docu-drama's trailer and issued a legal notice to Netflix on November 9, 2024. Netflix and Tarc Studios LLP, the producers of the docu-drama, responded on November 11, 2024, stating that the visuals were personal in nature and had not been shot by individuals commissioned by Wunderbar Films.

The dispute became public just days before the docu-drama's release on November 18, 2024. On November 16, Nayanthara addressed an open letter to Dhanush via her social media platform, alleging that she had repeatedly requested a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Wunderbar Films for two years but had not received one.

In the letter, Nayanthara explained that the visuals and songs from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan were included in the docu-drama as the film marked the beginning of her relationship with her now-husband, director Vignesh Shivan. She accused Dhanush of holding a personal grudge against her and Shivan, citing his legal notice demanding ₹10 crore in damages after the trailer’s release.

Nayanthara also clarified that the visuals in question amounted to only three seconds of BTS footage, shot on personal devices, and argued that the legal notice was unwarranted. The case remains ongoing, with the court set to address interim relief and other aspects in the upcoming hearing.

With IANS inputs

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