Indian crime film Ajinomoto faces unexpected plot twist as Japan MSG maker files lawsuit

Ajinomoto Co Inc says a film used its name without permission and that filmmaker Mathiraj Iyamperumal made ‘false and defaming statements’ about it

The Delhi High Court has halted the release of the film after the food company said screenings could damage the company’s reputation in India

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A promotional poster for the Tamil crime thriller Ajinomoto. Photo: Handout

Published: 11:00am, 14 Dec 2022Updated: 1:19pm, 14 Dec 2022

The release of a Tamil crime thriller has been suspended in India, after a Japanese food seasoning company alleged that the film’s name infringed on its registered trademark.

Ajinomoto Co Inc, maker of popular MSG product Ajinomoto, said the film Ajinomoto used its name without permission. It also claims filmmaker Mathiraj Iyamperumal made “false and defaming statements” regarding its food enhancer, calling it “a kind of poison that kills humans slowly”.

Following the lawsuit, the Delhi High Court halted the release of the film in cinema halls and on streaming platforms.

MSG is an integral component of much Indian-Chinese food, such as spring rolls. Photo: Kalpana Sunder

Ajinomoto Co Inc alleges the film’s release could damage its reputation in India, where it has become a household name since entering the market in 1954.

The firm said the name “Ajinomoto” was coined as a portmanteau of the Japanese words meaning “essence of taste”.

The fracas has highlighted the widespread use of Ajinomoto, a word that is often used interchangeably with “MSG” in many of the countries where it is sold.

Prepared with plant-based ingredients such as sugar cane, sugar beets, sodium, cassava or corn, monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been an integral part of Asian cuisine for over a century.