Catering firm ‘Madhampatty Pakashala’ alleges loss of contracts worth ₹12 crore over Joy Crizildaa’s hashtags

Madhampatty Thangavelu Hospitality Private Limited on Wednesday (September 17, 2025) claimed to have suffered cancellation of catering and food services contracts worth ₹12 crore in the past 15 days due to the reported damage caused to the trademark ‘Madhampatty Pakashala’ by costume designer Joy Crizildaa, who claims to have married one of its directors Madhampatty Rangaraj.

Appearing before Justice N. Senthilkumar, senior counsel P.S. Raman, assisted by Vijayan Subramanian, said the hashtags used by the costume designer in her “disparaging” social media posts had caused enormous harm to the trademark. “Customers looking for our menu on social media are now being directed straight to her damaging posts,” he told the judge.

On the other hand, senior counsel S. Prabakaran, representing Ms. Crizildaa, questioned the veracity of the oral claim of the company having suffered loss of contracts to the tune of ₹12 crore. He said the company had not made any such claim in its plaint and that only its counsel were making such a claim during the course of the arguments. He insisted that the claim be made in writing.

When Mr. Raman insisted on injuncting the costume designer from using the hashtags that damage the reputation of the trademark, Mr. Prabakaran opposed the plea and said his client’s right to freedom of speech and expression could not be curtailed. “I have been cheated after marriage. Now, I am in an advanced stage of pregnancy. My life has been ruined,” he said, quoting his client.

Wondering why the company was attempting to shield its director, the senior counsel said the costume designer had lodged a police complaint against Mr. Rangaraj on August 29, 2025, and immediately thereafter, the company had approached the High Court with the present suit alleging damage to its trademark. He contended that the suit itself was not maintainable.

Ater hearing the preliminary arguments advanced by both sides, the judge took note that Mr. Rangaraj too had filed a suit, in his individual capacity, for protecting his personality rights but it was yet to be numbered. The judge directed the High Court Registry to number that suit too if all the papers were in order and list it along with the present suit, filed by the company, on September 24, 2025.

The judge said the company’s plea for injuncting the costume designer from using the hashtags that cause damage to its reputation would be considered on the next date of hearing.