Dhanush claims copyright over characters and costumes in ‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’; legal row intensifies

Actor Dhanush has taken legal action against Nayanthara, asserting copyright claims over the characters and costumes featured in the 2015 film ‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’.

The case has been brought before the Madras High Court, where Dhanush’s lawyer, senior advocate PS Raman, argued that the lawsuit should proceed as it is valid. Raman emphasized that the unauthorized use of the footage broke the terms of their agreement.



According to the Tamil Hindustan Times, the Lawyer PS Raman who is appearing for Dhanush (representing Wunderbar Films), said that the actor own all the copyrights for the clothes worn by Nayanthara in the film ‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’ and he also stated that the actor (company) owned the copy rights of the characters in the film. The lawyer stated, “Considering this, the case should not be stayed and should be taken up for trial.”

Dhanush's production house, Wunderbar Films alleged that behind-the-scenes (BTS) footage from the film was used without permission in Nayanthara's documentary Beyond the Fairy Tale.

In the complaint, Dhanush demands compensation of Rs10 crores, stating that the BTS clips were used in violation of copyright laws and without his approval or the necessary No Objection Certificate (NOC). According to Dhanush's lawyer, the use of a 28-second clip from the film’s BTS footage breaches the original agreement made during the signing of the film contract.

In response, Netflix, the streaming platform that released the documentary, has sought the dismissal of the case, claiming that the Madras High Court does not have jurisdiction over the matter. The streaming platform also submitted two applications requesting the rejection of the permission granted to Wunderbar Films to file the lawsuit against Nayanthara and her team.