The Delhi High Court has halted release of Tamil crime thriller ‘Ajinomoto’ after a Japan-based seasoning manufacturer alleged infringement of its registered trademark ‘AJI-NO-MOTO’, reports Live Law.
Ajinomoto Co Inc sells Monosodium Glutamate, commonly used as a taste enhancer in food, under its eponymous brand name.
Justice Sanjeev Narula restrained Dattatrey Studios and director Mathiraj Iyamperumal from releasing the movie till December 12.
Ajinomoto Co has filed the suit claiming that the upcoming movie infringes its trademark. The compnay also found statements made by the director against the brand name false and defaming.
As per the suit, the name Aji-No- Moto was coined as a unique combination of words meaning “Essence of Taste” in Japanese. The trademark in Japanese characters was first registered in Japan in 1909 and subsequently in English characters in 1964. The company entered India in 1954.
The company, it is petiton, also referred to an article published in ‘Outlook’ magazine wherein the film director is reported to have said that “Ajinomoto is a flavour enhancer. But it is in fact a kind of poison that kills humans slowly. The story of ‘Ajinomoto’ has been conceived and crafted based on this concept of the cooking ingredient.”
Thus the comapany claimed that though the film has not been released yet, ‘the story line has been conceived and fashioned metaphorically around the cooking ingredient which directly links to Ajinomoto Co Inc’, the company said in its plea.
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