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The Madras high court on Monday restrained M/s Power Soaps Limited from using or associating the name and photographs of popular actress Tamanna Santhosh Bhatia in any of its advertisements and sales promotion materials, websites or publicity materials.
Justice V Ramasubramanian granted the interim injunction till June 8 while ordering notice to M/s Power Soaps Limited and M/s J & D communications private limited on a suit filed by Miss Tamanna, who also sought Rs 1 crore as damages from Power Soaps for the exploitation of her popularity for its business in breach of the agreement dated October 7, 2008.
According to Tamanna, on October 7, 2008 she entered into an agreement with Power Soaps to promote its products for one year, pursuant to which she was called upon to act in advertisement videos and photo shoots to promote the company’s products. On seeing the increase in the volume of their business, the company wanted to continue the agreement but she refused to do so and the agreement expired in October 2009.
Subsequently, Tamanna entered into an agreement with M/s Wipro limited in January 2010. During negotiations with M/s Wipro limited, it was brought to her notice that Power Soaps, who was their competitor, was using her photos and videos for promotion even after the expiry of the agreement and without her permission.
There was a specific condition in the present agreement that she should not endorse any competitive product namely soaps during the subsistence of the agreement with them. The Power Soaps’ continued breach of contract had created a tussle between her and Wipro.
