The Madras High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Netflix India seeking to quash a copyright lawsuit brought by actor and producer Dhanush against actress Nayanthara. The case pertains to the alleged unauthorized use of a three-second clip from Dhanush’s film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in the Netflix documentary Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale.

The lawsuit, filed in November last year, accuses Nayanthara, her husband Vignesh Shivan, and their production house, Rowdy Pictures Private Limited, of using visuals from the film without securing prior consent. The clip in question is said to have been produced by Dhanush under his banner Wunderbar Films Private Limited.

In addition to the lawsuit, Wunderbar Films filed a separate petition with the High Court, seeking permission to sue Los Gatos Production Services India LLP, a Mumbai-based entity overseeing Netflix’s content investments in the country. The legal action comes after Dhanush reportedly issued a warning demanding the removal of the disputed content within 24 hours, a demand that went unaddressed.

The dismissal of Netflix’s plea means the case will now proceed in court, potentially setting a precedent for intellectual property rights and content use in the digital streaming space. Neither Dhanush nor Nayanthara has commented publicly on the latest court ruling.

As the legal battle unfolds, all eyes are on the Madras High Court to see how this high-profile dispute will impact the entertainment industry, especially with the increasing global reach of streaming platforms like Netflix.