A collage of Dhanush and Nayanthara.
Credit: Special Arrangement
‘Lady Superstar’ Nayanthara has penned a scathing open letter, accusing Dhanush of restricting the use of videos, song clips, and BTS material from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. This explosive claim, suggesting Dhanush’s “vengeance” and “personal grudge” against her and her partner Vignesh Shivan, has shocked fans and industry observers alike.
Nayanthara, known as the ‘Lady Superstar,’ posted a detailed three-page open letter on her social media, accusing Dhanush of harbouring “vengeance” and a “personal grudge” towards her and her partner, Vignesh Shivan. Now that Dhanush and Nayanthara's feud is out in the open, let's take a closer look at where things went wrong.
The conflict reportedly originated in 2014 during the shooting of the movie Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, where director Vignesh Shivan fell in love with the lead actor Nayanthara. The filmmaker's budding romance with Nayanthara irked Dhanush, who was producing the movie. Their flourishing romance reportedly disrupted the workflow, delaying shoots and forced producer Dhanush to spend close to ₹12 crore beyond the film's budget. Tensions continued to escalate further due to multiple production delays, and at one point Dhanush considered shelving the film.
After several hiccups, the movie was eventually completed and emerged as one of the biggest blockbusters of the year. The movie's success elevated Dhanush’s career as a producer boosted Nayanthara’s fandom, and solidified Vignesh Shivan’s position as a notable director.
However, the conflict between Dhanush and Nayanthara reached new heights after the film’s success. A memorable instance was at an award show where Nayanthara, while accepting the 'Best Actress' award, appeared to take a jab at Dhanush. She said "I have to say sorry to Dhanush also. He absolutely hated my performance in Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. Sorry, Dhanush, for disappointing you with my performance."
Nayanthara continued her meteoric rise, becoming one of Southern cinema’s most successful actors, while Vignesh Shivan gained recognition as a promising filmmaker with projects like Thaanaa Serndha Koottam (2018), Paava Kadhaigal (2020), and Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal (2022).
Nayanthara recently celebrated the nine-year anniversary of the film, writing, "A movie that came into my life to bless me and change it forever."
In showbiz, success often heals differences among filmmakers, stars, and producers. This was however not the case here, as the trio never crossed paths again. The animosity toward Dhanush was so strong that Nayanthara and Vignesh didn’t even extend a wedding invite to him.
Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan, who sold their wedding album to Netflix for a whopping amount, reached out to Dhanush and sought permission to use clips and songs from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan—where their love blossomed—for their Netflix documentary Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale.
Nayanthara and Vignesh pulled every string to convince Dhanush. But despite efforts over nearly a two-year-long period, Dhanush denied all usage rights and re-sued to give NOC. He remained firm about his decision.
Matters took a dramatic turn after the documentary teaser was released, revealing clips from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan.
In response, Dhanush sent the producers a legal notice demanding ₹10 crore. Frustrated by the legal notice, Nayanthara vented her anger on social media, accusing Dhanush of being a tyrant. However, Dhanush has not reacted to Nayanthara’s attack as of now.