Chiranjeevi Dhaba owner clarifies legal notice, says restaurant was opened as a tribute to the megastar

Chiranjeevi Dhaba owner adresses the legal notice in a video

A popular Hyderabad eatery named Chiranjeevi Dhaba has become the centre of attention after receiving a legal notice for using Telugu icon Chiranjeevi’s name and image without permission.

The dhaba, located in Nallagandla and opened earlier this year, was reportedly inspired by the megastar himself — a tribute that the owner, Ravi Tej, says came purely from admiration.

After news of the legal notice went viral, Ravi took to Instagram to clarify the situation and address growing speculation online.

In his video, he explained that the notice was served following a Hyderabad Civil Court order protecting Chiranjeevi’s personality rights, which covered around 60 other establishments as well.

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A post shared by Chiranjeevi Dhaba (@chiranjeevi_dhaba)

“I’m making this video to clear the rumours,” he began, confirming that he had indeed received the notice. He explained that the restaurant was never intended for profit through the star’s fame but rather as a heartfelt homage.

“It’s understandable that he might not have been aware of it earlier, but we firmly believed that once he knew the truth, he would respond positively, and our belief proved absolutely right,” he said, adding that he had met Chiranjeevi’s team to resolve the issue and even received their consent to continue using the name.

Also Read: Hyderabad court restrains entities from using actor Chiranjeevi's name, photo

Ravi also addressed the rumours that cases and arrests were being made against those using Chiranjeevi’s likeness.

“As long as his reputation isn’t being harmed, there’s nothing to fear,” he assured, thanking the actor for his understanding and generosity. “We started the dhaba out of pure love, and Chiranjeevi garu has graciously allowed us to continue.”

The controversy follows Chiranjeevi’s recent move to legally protect his image, voice, and name from unauthorised commercial use.

In October, the Hyderabad court granted him an interim injunction to prevent misuse of his identity, especially in the wake of rising concerns around AI-generated content. The actor also lodged a police complaint after offensive videos were circulated online using his likeness.

On the professional front, Chiranjeevi, who was last seen in Waltair Veerayya and Bhola Shankar, is gearing up for his next set of projects, including Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, Vishwambhara, and two yet-untitled collaborations with Srikanth Odela and Bobby.