Chennai: The Madras High Court has dismissed an appeal filed by actor Tamannaah Bhatia, who had sought ₹1 crore in damages from Power Soaps Limited over the alleged unauthorised use of her images.
A Division Bench comprising Justices P Velmurugan and K Govindarajan Thilakavadi upheld an earlier ruling by a single judge, stating that the actor had failed to substantiate her claims with credible evidence.
Dispute over endorsement agreement
The case dates back to a 2008 endorsement agreement between Tamannaah and Power Soaps Limited. Under the contract, the company was permitted to use her images for promotional purposes for a period of one year, until October 2009.
Tamannaah alleged that the company continued to use her photographs on product packaging, advertisements, and online platforms during 2010–2011, after the agreement had expired.
She argued that this alleged misuse adversely affected her professional opportunities, particularly as she was in discussions with competing brands at the time.
Relief sought by actor
The actor had approached the court seeking ₹1 crore in damages and a permanent injunction to restrain the company from further using her images.
However, the single judge had earlier dismissed her plea, citing insufficient and unreliable evidence. The materials submitted — including product wrappers, purchase documents, and online listings — were found inadequate to establish a direct link between the company and the alleged misuse.
Division Bench upholds earlier ruling
While hearing the appeal, the Division Bench concurred with the findings of the single judge. The court reiterated that the evidence presented did not convincingly prove that the company had used Tamannaah’s images beyond the agreed contractual period.
Finding no merit in the appeal, the Bench upheld the earlier dismissal and declined to grant any relief.
Conclusion
The ruling underscores the importance of strong and verifiable evidence in contractual disputes, particularly in cases involving endorsement agreements and intellectual property. With the dismissal of the appeal, the legal proceedings in the matter have effectively concluded in favour of the company.
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