Chennai: The long-standing tension between Nayanthara and actor-director Dhanush came to fore on Saturday when Nayanthara posted an open letter on Instagram criticising Dhanush for refusing to grant a No Objection Certificate for her Netflix documentary, Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale. Dhanush’s lawyer has sent Nayanthara, her husband Vignesh Shivan, and Netflix a legal notice demanding Rs 10 crore in damages for the use of a three-second behind-the-scenes clip from the movie Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in the documentary trailer. In her open letter, Nayanthara claimed that she and her team had waited for two years for the NOC.
Industry analysts suggest that this conflict is just the tip of the iceberg. Speaking to ThePrint, industry tracker Ramesh Bala noted that friction between the two has been simmering since the release of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in 2015.
“It was alleged that the movie was not completed in the accepted budget and Dhanush did not like the output of the movie as well. So, the bitter relationship between them has been there for a long time, which was evident when the couple (Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan) did not invite Dhanush for their wedding,” Bala said.
However, producer K Rajan argued that it was unfair on Nayanthara’s part to put such allegations in public when it was just a business between the two. “When she is trying to make money out of her wedding footage, there is nothing wrong in demanding money for the clips used from the movie produced by Dhanush. This is just a copyright issue and Nayanthara should not have gone to this extent,” Rajan said.
Nayanthara’s open letter received support from several women in the film industry, including Shruti Haasan, Parvathy, Aishwarya Rajesh, and Nazriya Nazim—all of whom have worked with Dhanush.
ThePrint reached out to Dhanush for comments, but he was unavailable as he was reportedly in Meghamalai Hills near Theni district, for a shoot and would be back in a couple of days.
A source close to him said Dhanush is “unlikely to come up with an open statement. The team might take it legally.”
A strained relationship
Nayanthara’s journey in the Tamil film industry began in 2005 with Ayya, directed by Hari. She later starred in Chandramukhi alongside Rajinikanth. In 2015, she worked on Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, directed by Vignesh Shivan and produced by Dhanush’s Wunderbar Films. It was during this film’s production that Nayanthara and Vignesh fell in love, eventually marrying on 9 June 2022. Shivan, also a lyricist, wrote four romantic songs in a movie for Nayanthara.
Nayanthara and Dhanush once shared mutual respect. In 2012-13, Nayanthara agreed to perform a song in Dhanush’s production Edhirneechal without compensation. In several interviews, Dhanush recalled the gesture, saying she was a “good friend.”
However, industry insiders attribute their falling out to financial losses associated with Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. Despite the film’s box-office success, it was reportedly not profitable for Wunderbar Films.
“There were a lot of reasons for it and one among them was not finishing the movie in the stipulated, accepted budget,” the source said.
Nayanthara’s letter recalled how she has not forgotten the horrible things Dhanush said about Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, which she addressed in her Filmfare Awards South acceptance speech in 2016. “I had to say sorry also to Dhanush. Because Dhanush absolutely hated my performance in Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. So, sorry Dhanush for disappointing you with my performance. I will probably make it better next time,” she said at the event.
In her open letter, she addressed the incident, noting that she learned through film circles “that your ego was supremely hurt after the film became a blockbuster.”
The current controversy
While it was evident that all was not well between the two, Ramesh Bala said that the denial of the NOC was due to the pressure from Nayanthara’s team.
“Dhanush’s side claims that they were not happy with the way the team approached the NOC. They felt a bit pressurised. But we don’t exactly know what transpired between them. Nayanthara has come out with a scathing letter now, but she might have vented out to their common friends, which might not have gone well with Dhanush,” Bala said.
Producer Rajan also criticised Nayanthara, accusing her of not taking responsibility for financial losses incurred in her films. “When she is so strict when it comes to finance, why shouldn’t a producer be stringent in his finance?” he asked.
The documentary, Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale, is set to be released on Netflix on Monday. Directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon, the documentary features industry voices such as Nagarjuna Akkineni and Rana Daggubati.
(Edited by Prashant)
Dhanush got a cha ce in the film industry only because of his connections. Zero talent and zero handsomeness.
Even the gatekeeper of my society here in Delhi looks better than Dhanush.
South Indian film industry is a cesspool and some families are the rulers of this cesspool.
How did Dhanush become a star? Who made him a star? Neither the looks, nor the acting talent.
My office errand boy looks way more handsome and smart than Dhanush.