This time, rather than waiting for any help from Gangadharan Muthalali, Ramanan took recourse to consumer protection laws to fight the injustice meted out against him at Punjabi House. Yes, renowned actor Harisree Ashokan in real life has won a legal battle against a company over defective floor tiles supplied from China for his house “Punjabi House” in Kochi.
Harisree Ashokan, who gained widespread fame and a career breakthrough from the 1998 blockbuster film “Punjabi House,” constructed a home “Punjabi House” at Kurien’s Lane, Chembumukku, Ernakulam as a tribute to the film’s legacy.
However, his dream house soon turned into a nightmare when the floor tiles began to crack and break within just a few months of installation.
Despite repeated complaints and attempts to seek compensation, the tile supplier failed to address the issue satisfactorily. Left with no alternative, the actor decided to take legal action, filing a case in the Ernakulam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
The Commission, led by its president D B Binu and members V Ramachandran and Sreevidhia T N, after a thorough examination of the evidence, ruled in favour of Harisree Ashokan, directing the floor tile supplier, the company that imported the floor tiles, and the contractor to pay a total compensation of Rs 17 lakh to the actor. The judgment emphasized the importance of accountability and quality in the consumer goods sector, especially when it comes to durable household materials like floor tiles.
Though the importer Kerala AGL World, Kochi, retailer Peekay Tiles Centre, Edappally, Kochi, and the contractor N S Marble Works, Ernakulam strongly opposed Harisree Ashokan’s claims, submitting that the actor had raised the complaint after four years of works, the court observed that “the complainant, a well-known cine artist, trusted the assurances of the opposite parties and made a significant investment in his dream home, ‘Punjabi House,’ only to be met with poor workmanship and exploitation. The frustration and mental agony he endured while navigating the labyrinth of broken promises and unfulfilled commitments serve as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of consumers in the face of negligence.”
The court further said, “We are therefore of the opinion that it is our duty to ensure such injustices are curtailed and rectified, restoring faith in the consumer protection framework and affirming that the rights and dignity of individuals must always be upheld.
