Actress Nayanthara’s open letter about her copyright dispute with Dhanush (and some personal digs along the way) has drawn notable scrutiny and public discussion. Nayanthara and her husband, director Vignesh Shivan, have been working on Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale. It is a documentary that premiered on Netflix on November 18, her birthday. The film gives fans a closer look at Nayanthara’s life, her career highlights, and personal challenges. It also shows her love story with Vignesh, a romance that began on the sets of the 2015 film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan.
Just two days before the documentary’s release, on November 16, Nayanthara shared a three-page open letter on her official Instagram account addressing Dhanush. The letter was her response to his legal notice demanding Rupees 10 crore for the unauthorised use of three seconds of footage from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, a film produced by Dhanush’s Wunderbar Films.
Now, the documentary, the letter, and the Rupees 10 crore lawsuit are the centre of controversy. They are drawing widespread attention from fans and critics alike.
What led to Nayanthara’s open letter to Dhanush?
In her open letter, Nayanthara claimed that she and Vignesh Shivan spent two years trying to get Dhanush’s permission to use footage, songs, or visual cuts from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan for the documentary. When they couldn’t get a No Objection Certificate (NOC), they decided to proceed with releasing the documentary. They chose to use BTS (behind-the-scenes) visuals from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, which they filmed on their devices.
However, Dhanush’s legal team argued that, as the producer, he also has rights to those BTS visuals. The legal statement even requested the removal of the footage within 24 hours.
Nayanthara expressed shock at receiving the legal notice after the trailer for the Netflix documentary was released. “What’s even more shocking is your legal notice after the release of the trailer of the Netflix Documentary. We were startled to read those lines wherein you questioned the usage of some videos (just 3 seconds) which were shot on our devices and that too BTS visuals that are already very much publicly present on social media and claimed a sum of Rs 10 crores as damages for the mere 3 seconds,” a part of her open letter read.
In her letter, she also called it “an all-time low” for him and criticised his actions. She says, “This speaks volumes about your character. I wish you were half the person you portray to be on stage during audio launches in front of your innocent fans. But clearly, you don’t practise what you preach—at least not with me and my partner.“
Nayanthara’s open letter: A mic drop on toxic masculinity
For the past few days, it has been Nayanthara vs Dhanush. The internet trolls have found their new content playground. There are already enough biases flying left and right from fans, lawyers, and producers airing their takes on the copyright clash. But let’s skip the blame game and focus on the bigger picture: the letter. It is a sharp reminder of how, even in a progressive industry like cinema, the old gender dynamics and toxic masculinity make themselves known.
The letter brought up Dhanush’s harsh critique of her performance in Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, which she openly addressed during her 2016 Filmfare Awards South speech. At the event, she sarcastically apologised, saying, “I had to say sorry to Dhanush because he absolutely hated my performance. Sorry, Dhanush, for disappointing you. I’ll probably make it better next time.”
It is ironic that despite Dhanush’s harsh criticism of both Nayanthara and Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, she went on to win Best Actress at the 63rd Filmfare Awards South. She also won the 5th South Indian International Movie Awards for the same performance. In her open letter, she revisited the incident. She revealed that she learned through film circles that the film becoming a blockbuster deeply hurt Dhanush’s ego.
Nayanthara’s letter is not just about the copyright debate. It highlights the uncomfortable reality that women in the industry are still often expected to remain in the background or play by the unspoken rules. When a woman asserts herself, it challenges a lot more than just professional boundaries. It challenges the quiet privilege that allows some men to remain untouchable. Moreover, the uncomfortable truth is that the moment someone questions them, their egos tend to react.
Calling out men in power
Dhanush, with his family connections and privileged position in the film world, has an advantage that many actors, particularly women, don’t have. It is not just about talent; in an industry where who you know often matters more than what you can do. In her open letter, Nayanthara calls out his privilege, stating that she’s a “self-made woman” with no industry connections and had to fight her way to success.
Nayanthara isn’t the first celebrity to make money off her celebrity life by creating a documentary. But because she’s a woman trying to capitalise on her stardom, she’s facing harsh criticism. The 3-second clip causing all this controversy is simply a casual moment of Vignesh talking to Nayanthara. Asking for an outrageous amount of money for something so small is more about manipulation than business.
In her letter, Nayanthara questions the industry’s power imbalance. She asks, “Does a Producer become an Emperor controlling the lives, freedom and liberty of all the persons in the set? Any deviation from the Emperor’s dictum attracts legal ramifications?” The letter subtly calls out the industry’s entitlement and unfair power structure. She talks about an industry where the privileged stay on top, and others, especially women, are left to fight for their place.
How women are punished for speaking up
Celebrity fallout often follows a predictable script: There will be public debates, legal drama, and endless online hate. But the way misogyny and hate show up when a woman dares to compete with or outshine her male colleagues? That is on a whole different scale.
After Nayanthara’s open letter, many women from the film industry, including Parvathy Thiruvothu, Shruti Haasan, Ekta Kapoor, Dia Mirza, and Nazriya Nazim, came forward in support of her. These women praised her bravery for challenging an influential male figure in the industry.
Yet, what makes it worse is the way fans of Dhanush have reacted, with extreme loyalty and blind faith in him. Instead of addressing the issue at hand, some fans took it a step further, dragging personal attacks on Nayanthara’s relationships into the mix, resorting to slut-shaming in an attempt to humiliate her.
Nayanthara’s open letter to Dhanush: The Final thoughts
This incident is not just about one actress vs. one actor. It happens everywhere. Women in all workplaces hesitate to call out men in power, and when they do, the industry labels them as arrogant and too proud. People also put their character under a microscope. It is also about enforcing a particular kind of dominance and power, one that places men’s egos and status above all else.
This whole situation reeks of misogyny, and the way it’s being handled shows exactly how men use their power to suppress women, whether in the film industry or any other workplace.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the writer’s insights, supported by data and resources available both online and offline, as applicable. Changeincontent.com is committed to promoting inclusivity across all forms of content, which we define broadly to include media, policies, law, and history—encompassing all elements that influence the lives of women and gender-queer individuals. Our goal is to promote understanding and advocate for comprehensive inclusivity.
