Nayanthara's husband Vignesh Shivan deactivates his X account amid Dhanush controversy

Nayanthara with husband Vignesh

Filmmaker Vignesh Shivan recently deactivated his X (formerly Twitter) account amidst the ongoing legal controversy involving his wife, actress Nayanthara, and actor Dhanush. Shivan’s move to deactivate his X account has raised eyebrows, particularly as it comes in the wake of a legal dispute regarding the alleged unauthorized use of footage from Dhanush’s 2015 film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in Nayanthara’s Netflix documentary.

While Vignesh Shivan was moderately active on X, the filmmaker has not provided a statement explaining the reasons for his sudden decision to deactivate his account.

This move, however, has drawn attention given the ongoing legal tensions between the parties involved. It is noteworthy that his Instagram account, under the handle 'Wikkiofficial,' remains active, which suggests that the deactivation of his X account might be related to the current legal matters, rather than a complete withdrawal from social media.

The controversy traces back to November 20, when Nayanthara issued an open letter to Dhanush after the actor accused her of using unauthorized clips from Naanum Rowdy Dhaann in her documentary, Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale. Dhanush, who is also the producer of the film, filed a lawsuit against Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, their production company Rowdy Pictures Private Limited, and other involved parties. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Dhanush’s production house, Wunderbar Films Private Limited, claims that the documentary infringed on the copyright of the film by featuring certain clips without permission.

In response to the lawsuit, Nayanthara’s legal team has strongly refuted any claims of copyright infringement.

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Rahul Dhawan, the managing partner at Lex Chambers and legal representative for Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, and Rowdy Pictures, clarified that the footage in question did not originate from the behind-the-scenes content of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, as claimed by Dhanush. Instead, Dhawan emphasized that the footage used in the documentary was from Nayanthara’s personal archive and not part of any copyrighted material from the film.

The legal tussle has intensified, with Dhanush’s legal team demanding that Nayanthara remove the allegedly infringing content within 24 hours. If Nayanthara fails to comply, the actor's legal representatives have warned that they will pursue further legal action, including a potential claim for damages amounting to Rs 10 crore against Nayanthara and Netflix India.

The case is currently ongoing, with the next hearing set for December 2 in the Madras High Court. This legal battle highlights the complex intersection of copyright, celebrity rights, and personal content in the digital age. As the dispute unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Nayanthara and her team can successfully defend their position or whether Dhanush’s claims will hold legal weight.