Dhanush Wins Round One in Copyright Battle Against Netflix and Nayanthara Documentary Team

Actor Dhanush has scored an early victory in his legal battle against streaming giant Netflix and the creators of the Nayanthara documentary “Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale.” The Madras High Court dismissed Netflix’s plea to reject Dhanush’s copyright infringement lawsuit.

The dispute stems from the alleged unauthorized use of behind-the-scenes footage from Dhanush’s film “Naanum Rowdy Daan” in the documentary, which aired on Netflix. Dhanush’s production company, Wunderbar, claims that Netflix and the documentary team, including Nayanthara and Vignesh Sivan, infringed on their copyright.

Netflix attempted to have the case dismissed, arguing procedural issues and a lack of urgency since the documentary was already released. However, the Madras High Court rejected these arguments, allowing Dhanush’s lawsuit to proceed.

The court will now hear Dhanush’s request for an interim injunction against Netflix and the documentary team on February 5th. This injunction, if granted, could potentially impact the availability of the documentary on the streaming platform.

This case highlights the increasing complexities of copyright protection in the digital age, especially concerning the use of archival footage in documentaries. The outcome of this legal battle could have significant implications for the Indian film industry and the streaming landscape.