Chennai: A legal dispute has erupted between South Indian film stars Nayanthara and Dhanush over a brief three-second clip in Netflix's upcoming documentary ‘Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale’.

The feud began after Dhanush issued a Rs 10-crore legal notice, alleging unauthorised use of footage from his 2015 production ‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’.

The legal battle

Dhanush's notice accuses the documentary's producers of including clips from the Tamil film, which starred Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi and was directed by her husband, Vignesh Shivan. The film was produced by Dhanush's Wunderbar Films.

Nayanthara responded with a fiery three-page open letter on Instagram, expressing shock at the demand for Rs 10 crore over "mere three seconds" of footage, which she claimed consisted of behind-the-scenes (BTS) visuals shot on personal devices.

Nayanthara’s scathing response

In her letter, Nayanthara criticised Dhanush for what she called an "all-time low" and stated her intent to respond legally.

She alleged that Dhanush had repeatedly refused permission to include songs or visuals from ‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’ in the documentary despite multiple requests.

"We were startled to read those lines questioning the usage of BTS visuals that are already publicly available and claiming Rs 10 crore as damages," she wrote, accusing Dhanush of not practicing the ideals he promotes publicly.

Allegations of ego and resentment

Nayanthara further alleged that Dhanush had harboured resentment over the success of ‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaa’ and had "said horrible things" about the film after its blockbuster run.

She claimed his actions were driven by ego and that his negativity was evident during award ceremonies linked to the film.

Spreading positivity

In a bid to counter the conflict, Nayanthara urged Dhanush to watch the documentary and focus on spreading positivity. "I hope and pray that someday you are fully capable of spreading love, not just saying it," she wrote.

Her husband, Vignesh Shivan, supported her by sharing an old video of Dhanush discussing the importance of love and avoiding hatred.

In the clip, Dhanush had said, "If you like someone, celebrate with them. If you don't, just move on."

The bigger picture

The controversy exposes tensions in the South Indian film industry as personal and professional grievances spill into the public domain.

While Dhanush has yet to respond to Nayanthara's letter, the dispute highlights the growing complexities of intellectual property rights in the age of digital media.