Top 10 Controversies Of Nayanthara That Shaped Her Career & Reputation
Nayanthara has faced controversies, from legal disputes to personal relationships. Discover the 10 most shocking moments that stirred the headlines and shaped her journey in the industry.
Nayanthara, Controversy, Legal Dispute, Personal Life, Career (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Nayanthara and controversies go hand in hand; ever since she entered the industry, she has struggled and faced a lot of bullying. How she overcame all these issues and became the Lady Superstar is inspiring. Let’s take a look at Nayanthara’s top 10 controversies.
1. Nayanthara and Dhanush controversy
The most talked-about controversy from Kollywood in 2024 was Nayanthara and Dhanush’s legal dispute over the use of footage from the 2015 film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, a 28-second behind-the-scenes clip used in Nayanthara’s Netflix documentary Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale.
Dhanush filed a lawsuit against Nayanthara and her husband, Vignesh Shivan, claiming that Nayanthara and others used footage without his permission and demanding Rs 10 crore in damages. Nayanthara wrote an open letter to Dhanush on her social media. Now, the case is in the Madras High Court, and the first hearing was on November 27, 2024.
Rumors of Nayanthara dating Prabhu Deva were hot in 2009 and always in the news headlines. Many people have discarded dating rumors as a publicity stunt for their film, Villu. Prabhu Deva directed the movie, and Nayanthara was the lead actress.
In September 2010, Prabhudeva confessed to his relationship with Nayanthara and admitted they had been dating for the past two years. But this relationship did not last, as Prabhudeva had convinced Nayanthara to quit films. They were unhappy in this relationship due to the backlash they had received from the media, and they soon broke this relationship.
3. Love with Simbu
Nayanthara’s first public affair was during the 2006 film Vallavan shooting. However, the leaked pictures of the couple on social media made headlines and caused controversy. Nayanthara and Simbu were seen sharing a passionate kiss.
As per reports, the actress believed Simbu was responsible for leaking their private moments, and the couple split up soon after this controversy.
4.Playing Sita in Sri Rama Rajyam
The then secretary of Hindu Makkal Katchi, a political group in Tamil Nadu, was among the vocal critics. He remarked that Nayanthara was not the right fit to play Goddess Sita in the film due to her personal history—especially her relationship with actor Prabhu Deva.
5. Slut shamed by Radha Ravi
The 2019 film Kolaiyuthir Kaalam, starring Nayanthara, gathered many eyeballs for her performance and what she had to face during the trailer launch.
Veteran actor Radha Ravi graced the film’s trailer launch, and his remarks about slut-shaming the Lady Superstar made headlines.
During his speech, Radha Ravi expressed his displeasure over Nayanthara being compared to the industry greats in an apparent reference to the ‘Lady Superstar’ tag given to actresses.
The actor also said that Nayanthara acts as a ghost in one movie and then acts as Sita in another. Radha Ravi’s comments, unfortunately, met with applause from the audience. But she soon met with a backlash from her fans, and many actors stood up for Nayanthara during this controversy.
6. ‘Annapoorani’ controversy
Nayanthara’s film “Annapoorani—The Goddess of Food” became controversial for hurting religious sentiments because it was based on Lord Ram. The film depicts the daughter of a Hindu temple priest in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu eating meat and later entering a high-stakes cooking contest where she cooks meat.
The film was launched on Netflix and Zee OTT platforms, but it received a barrage of criticism from a section of the audience for hurting Hindu sentiments.
An FIR was filed in Omti Police Station in Jabalpur district under sections 153-A and 34 against actor Nayanthara, film director Nilesh Krishnaa, and one other person for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Hindu IT Cell founder Ramesh Solanki filed the complaint against the makers of Annapoorani.
Following the FIR, Netflix removed “Annapoorani – The Goddess of Food” from its platform. “Annapoorani – The Goddess of Food” was released in theaters in December and aired on Netflix later that month, but it is no longer available on the international streaming platform.
7.Visit to Tirupati temple in Tirupati
Nayanthara and her husband, Vignesh Shivan, visited the Tirupati Lord Venkateswara temple after their June 2022 wedding.
The couple visited the temple the day after their wedding and were criticized for wearing shoes and taking photos inside.
According to the Chief Vigilance Security Officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Desvasthanam Board, Narasimha Kishore, wearing sandals inside the temple’s premises is strictly prohibited.
They apologized for their actions and sent a letter of apology to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam board.
8. Controversy with Allu Arjun
The year was 2016, and Nayanthara was riding high on the success of Vignesh Shivan’s film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, which co-starred Vijay Sethupathi.
The film earned Nayanthara the ‘Best Actress Award’ at a prestigious event. The award ceremony took an unexpected turn when, upon being announced as the winner, Nayanthara went up to the stage and returned the award presented by Allu Arjún. She then requested the prize from her now-husband, Vignesh Shivan, saying, “If you don’t mind, I would like to receive this award from the director of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan.”
This gesture of hers upset Allu Arjun’s fans, who perceived it as a sign of disrespect. The incident quickly escalated and became a hot topic on the internet, with fans expressing their displeasure on social media.
9. Rumors about plastic surgery
Nayanthara has publicly denied rumors of undergoing plastic surgery, stating that any noticeable changes in her appearance are primarily due to weight fluctuations and her focus on grooming, particularly her eyebrows, rather than any cosmetic procedures; she has even jokingly invited people to “pinch her face” to verify her claims.
10. Surrogacy
Nayanthara and her husband, Vignesh Shivan, announced the birth of twin boys via surrogacy soon after their marriage, due to which they faced a controversy. This sparked speculation about the couple violating surrogacy laws.
The Tamil Nadu health department conducted a probe into the matter and found that the couple did not violate any surrogacy laws, giving them a clean chit. The couple is blessed with two twin boys.
