Reigning Kollywood film star, Nayanthara, has slammed actor Dhanush for harbouring hatred and being petty minded in accepting the success and enviable celebrity status of others, especially a woman who had fought against all odds to reach where she is in the dream industry.

Ahead of the release of a documentary on a popular OTT platform on her journey in the film world, titled ‘Nayanthara: beyond the Fairytale’, she had written a hard-hitting open letter on Saturday, accusing him of acting with vengeance unable to digest her rise to stardom. It follows a legal notice sent by him for using clips in the movie, Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’ (Me too a rowy) in the documentary. In the movie, she played the female lead against Vijay Sethupathi and released a decade ago. Produced by Dhanush, it was a box office hit.

“The vengeance that you have been festering against the film, my partner and I, doesn’t just affect us but the people who have given their effort and time towards this project. This NetFlix documentary about me, my life, my love and marriage includes clis of many of myt industry well-wishers who have graciously contributed memories from multiple films, but sadly does not include the most special and important film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan,” reads the letter posted on her ‘X’ handle and on her Instagram page.

“After two long years of battling it out with you for an NOC (No Objection Certificate) and waiting for your approval… we finally decided to give up, re-edit and settle for the current version since you declined to permit the usage of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan songs or visual cuts, even the photographs to say the least despite multiple requests,” it said, adding, “It is understandable if it is business compulsions and monetary issues that mandate your denial but it hurts that this decision of yours is only to vent out your personal grudge against us… What’s even more shocking is your legal notice after the release of the trailer… you questioned the usage of some videos (just 3 seconds)… that are very much very much publicly present on social media and claimed a sum of Rs 10 crores as damages.”

“Does a Producer become an emperor controlling the lives, freedom and liberty of all the persons in the set? Any deviation from the Emperor’s dictum attracts legal ramifications,” she asked and made it clear that she would respond befittingly to the legal notice.

Nyanthara also reminded Dhanush that unlike him, who had the support and blessings of his producer father and director brother, she was self-made with no links in the industry.

“Leaving apart business competition, prominent persons in public life do not tamper others’ private lives. Courtesy and decency mandates large hearted behaviour in such matters…anyone with the right conscience would not appreciate such tyranny, even if it comes from established persons from you,” said the lady superstar, who made her debut in Tamil against Sarath Kumar in the movie ‘Aiyaa’ (2005). There was no looking back after that. She had also produced acclaimed movies such as ‘Koozhagngal’ (Pebble), which was in competition for the Oscars.