Chennai: The ongoing rift between actress Nayanthara and actor Dhanush has taken a new turn, with Nayanthara’s husband, director Vignesh Shivan, publicly addressing the issue on Instagram. His post, which includes a video clip of Dhanush from a previous event, is a response to Nayanthara’s recent public criticism of Dhanush. The video features Dhanush speaking about the importance of living and letting live, while the accompanying caption from Vignesh Shivan reflects his hope that people can find happiness in other people’s happiness. However, it now looks like that Vignesh Shivan has removed this video from his Instagram account.

In the video, Dhanush says, "Our love for someone should not turn into hatred for another. The world has changed in such a way that if someone is doing well, others dislike it. Live and let live, there is no need to hate anyone. If you like someone, embrace them. Otherwise, leave them be." The message is received by applause from the audience. Vignesh Shivan captioned it with a poignant reminder: "at-least for the sake of some innocent die hard fans who believe all of this ! I sincerely pray to God ! For People to change and find happiness in other people’s happiness".

The public exchange of words between Nayanthara and Dhanush has sparked a major controversy in the Tamil film industry. The conflict centers around Nayanthara's upcoming Netflix documentary, Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale. The actress has accused Dhanush of obstructing the use of footage from their 2015 film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, a project produced by Dhanush’s production company. According to Nayanthara, Dhanush did not grant the necessary No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the use of songs, scenes, and behind-the-scenes (BTS) footage in her documentary. As a result, Dhanush has reportedly sent a legal notice demanding Rs 10 crores in damages for the use of a mere three-second BTS clip.

Nayanthara, in a public open letter, revealed that the absence of this footage, due to Dhanush's refusal to grant the NOC, has delayed the release of her documentary. She also openly criticized Dhanush for his actions, claiming that his public persona—often seen at film events—does not reflect his true character. She described him as someone who "lives behind a mask" and insinuated that he would have to answer for his behavior in God's court. 

Further intensifying the dispute, Nayanthara accused Dhanush of taking pleasure in the misfortunes of others, particularly her own, in the context of the documentary’s delay. "I believe the people of Tamil Nadu, or anyone with the right conscience would not appreciate such tyranny, even if it comes from an established personality like you," she wrote in the letter. 

In her three-page open letter, Nayanthara claimed that Dhanush’s refusal to allow the footage’s use was a deliberate move to hurt her and her project.