Nayanthara's husband, Vignesh Shivan, was called a dog; 'Jawaan' star admits she felt 'guilty' for dating him in documentary

Today, they are one of the most beloved couples in Kollywood. But life hasn’t always been so smooth sailing for ‘Lady Superstar’ Nayanthara and her husband, director Vignesh Shivan. The highly anticipated documentary Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale, which delves into the personal and professional life of actress Nayanthara, has finally premiered on Netflix following numerous delays and controversies.

The film offers an in-depth look at her journey in the entertainment industry while also spotlighting her relationship with director Vignesh Shivan. In the documentary, Shivan admits that their romance was “was never easy, as he became a target after their relationship was made public. Detractors bombarded him with slurs, calling him a dog and subjected to relentless trolling for dating the "Lady Superstar."

The documentary also touches on moments of disappointment in Nayanthara’s life. In one scene, after detailing her career challenges and personal struggles, Vignesh Shivan is shown comforting her as she expresses her sadness over being denied permission to hold her wedding at the Tirupati temple.

When Vignesh Was Compared To A Dog

In another part of the documentary drama, Vignesh admits that he was heavily trolled after they made their relationship public. “When our relationship first became public, the first famous meme that came out was, ‘No one can stop it if the beauty chose the beast.’ I was compared to a dog. They said Nagoor Biryani was being offered to a dog. The meme had both our pictures on it.” He questioned, “Why can’t the beast land the beauty? What’s wrong if the beauty chooses the beast? Life is uncertain. Life is where a bus conductor becomes a superstar,” he is seen saying. Vignesh was referring to superstar Rajinikanth, who hails from a humble background.

He added, “Reaching a certain place in life is not something that happens easily. You have to pay a price for it. And we have to pay it on a monthly basis; sometimes we pay it on a weekly basis.” Nayanthara admitted, "Sometimes, I feel very guilty that if I was not a part of his life, probably his life would have been a little more easier and maybe happier and better.”

Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan’s love story began on the sets of their 2015 film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, which was produced by Dhanush. During the shoot, the couple kept their budding romance hidden from the rest of the crew. This marked their first collaboration and was also Vignesh Shivan’s directorial debut. After several years of dating, the pair tied the knot in June 2022 and later became parents to twin boys, Uyir and Ulag.

Recently, Nayanthara made headlines when she penned a strongly worded letter addressing her former friend and Naanum Rowdy Dhaan producer, superstar Dhanush. The controversy arose after Dhanush filed a Rs 10 crore lawsuit against her for including a three-second clip from a song in the film as part of her documentary.