January 28, 2025: In a significant development, the Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed Netflix India's plea to reject the copyright lawsuit filed by actor Dhanush. The case, which concerns the unauthorized use of footage from the 2015 film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in the Netflix documentary Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale, continues to gain momentum.

The court's decision, confirmed by Live Law, comes as the copyright case trial officially commenced last week. The judge dismissed Netflix India's application, which sought to have Dhanush’s claims dismissed. The actor, through his production company Wunderbar Films Private Limited, alleges that footage from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan was used in the documentary without his consent or a No Objection Certificate (NOC).

Live Law reported via X (formerly Twitter), stating, “#MadrasHC DISMISSES Netflix India's Application To Reject copyright suit filed by #Dhanush against #NetflixIndia, #Nayanthara, #VigneshSivan and their production company for unauthorisedly using footage from #NaanumRowdyDhaan in the Netflix documentary.”

In addition, the presiding judge announced that he would hear Dhanush’s request for an interim injunction against Netflix on February 5, 2025. The actor’s counsel argued that a formal objection to the use of the footage was raised when the documentary’s trailer was released, but no action was taken by the defendants.

Netflix India, in its defense, claimed that the footage of Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan was uploaded in 2020, and no objections were raised at that time. They further contended that the copyright suit was filed only after the documentary’s release, suggesting a lack of urgency on Dhanush’s part.

Dhanush’s legal team countered these claims, emphasizing that the company had sent an email protesting the use of the footage when the documentary trailer first premiered. Furthermore, they argued that even the costumes and hairstyles shown in the documentary were rightfully part of the original production, thus strengthening their claim.

Last November, Wunderbar Films filed a suit against Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, and their production company Rowdy Pictures Private Limited for the unauthorized use of footage from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in the documentary. The suit also includes a request to allow legal action against Los Gatos Production Services India LLP, the Netflix subsidiary that manages content investments in India.

As the case progresses, the entertainment industry eagerly awaits further developments, as the court’s ruling could set a significant precedent for copyright issues in the streaming domain.