On November 16, Tamil cinema’s beloved “Lady Superstar” Nayanthara made headlines when she shared an explosive open letter on her official Instagram account. The letter was directed at her colleague, actor Dhanush K Raja, with whom she had previously shared a professional relationship. However, the contents of the letter revealed deep-seated grievances, suggesting that their professional relationship had soured over time.
Accusations of Jealousy and Personal Grudge
In the letter, Nayanthara accused Dhanush of harboring jealousy toward actors who achieve success through their own merit, without relying on industry connections. She labeled him a “tyrant” and described him as a “small-hearted person” who held a personal grudge against her and her partner, director Vignesh Shivan. These severe allegations suggested that the issues between the two were not limited to one particular incident but had been simmering for years.
The actor also made strong remarks about Dhanush’s character, claiming that his public persona, often associated with positivity and friendship, was a far cry from his actual behavior. She urged him to “remove the mask” that he wears in front of the public and stop pretending to be someone he was not.
The Naanum Rowdy Dhaan Controversy
At the heart of Nayanthara’s grievances was an issue related to the 2015 film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, in which she starred opposite Vijay Sethupathi. The film played a significant role in both Nayanthara’s career and her personal life—she and Vignesh Shivan had reportedly fallen in love during its production. However, tensions arose during the years following the film’s success, particularly with regard to the usage of footage from the film in Nayanthara’s upcoming Netflix documentary, Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairytale.
Nayanthara explained in her letter that she and her team had made multiple attempts to secure a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Dhanush’s team to include scenes from the film in the documentary. Despite these efforts, Dhanush allegedly refused to grant permission. As a result, Nayanthara’s team filmed their own behind-the-scenes (BTS) content related to Naanum Rowdy Dhaan using their personal equipment.
Legal Notice and Legal Battle
What seemed like a simple disagreement soon escalated when Dhanush’s legal team issued a notice after the trailer of Nayanthara’s documentary was released. According to Nayanthara, the legal notice demanded a sum of Rs 10 crore in damages for just three seconds of footage that had been shot on personal devices and was already publicly available on social media. Nayanthara expressed shock and disappointment at Dhanush’s response, calling it an “all-time low” and questioning his character.
She also accused Dhanush of hypocrisy, saying that while he often speaks about love, positivity, and maintaining friendships at public events, his behavior behind the scenes was entirely different. “I wish you were half the person you portray to be on stage,” she wrote.
The History of Nayanthara and Dhanush’s Rift
The animosity between the two actors appears to have deep roots, with Nayanthara touching on incidents from the past, including pre-release tensions surrounding Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. According to Nayanthara’s account, Dhanush was displeased with the film’s success, which had exceeded his expectations. Reports suggest that Dhanush, who had produced the film, had been upset over budget overruns and had initially predicted the project would fail. However, Naanum Rowdy Dhaan went on to become a major hit and proved profitable for the distributors.
Nayanthara’s post also referenced how Dhanush’s “ego was supremely hurt” after the film’s success, a sentiment that she claims was palpable even during a Filmfare Awards event in 2016, where Dhanush’s discomfort with the film’s popularity was reportedly visible.
The Support for Nayanthara
Following the release of Nayanthara’s open letter, many celebrities from the Tamil film industry, particularly women, voiced their support for the actor. Notable figures like Parvathy Thiruvothu, Shruti Haasan, Ekta Kapoor, Dia Mirza, and Nazriya Nazim expressed their solidarity with Nayanthara, with many of them applauding her bravery for speaking out against a powerful figure in the industry.
However, as of now, Dhanush and his team have not responded to the allegations publicly. This silence has left the industry divided, with fans and industry professionals eagerly waiting to see if Dhanush will address the accusations made against him.
Nayanthara’s open letter sheds light on a professional rivalry that has seemingly been brewing for nearly a decade. While their differences were initially seen as mere industry gossip, Nayanthara’s public statement has brought the simmering conflict to the forefront of public attention. The refusal to allow footage from Naanum Rowdy Dhaan to be used in Nayanthara’s documentary appears to have been the breaking point in an ongoing feud that may now affect their careers and reputations.
Whether this controversy will escalate further or eventually fade remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the world of Tamil cinema is witnessing a rare, high-profile dispute that is already shaking up the industry’s usual dynamics.