Ranchi’s rockstar, cricket king MS Dhoni, whom we all call “Captain Cool”, is now caught in a legal tussle over this name.
Yes, Dhoni had tried to trademark his famous nickname, but a Delhi lawyer put a brake on it.
Ashutosh Chaudhary and his law firm raised questions on Dhoni’s plan and now the matter can go to court.
What is the whole matter?
Dhoni had applied under Class 41 to trademark “Captain Cool”, which includes things like education, entertainment, sports and training.
On June 16, 2025, his application was also passed and 120 days were given for public objection. But this is where the drama started.
Lawyer Ashutosh Chaudhary said that “Captain Cool” is not a unique name. This is a common word, which has been used for many players in the world of cricket.
He claims that Dhoni may be a superstar, but he has no right over this name.
How did “Captain Cool” get entangled in legal complications?
Choudhary says that “Captain Cool” is a part of the public domain. This name is not only of Dhoni, but of every player who remains cool on the field.
Citing the Trademark Act, 1999, he said that this word does not fulfill the “uniqueness” required for a trademark.
Along with this, the lawyer also raised questions on the trademark registry that how did Dhoni’s team add the claim of “first use” without any concrete proof?
According to him, no proof was given by Dhoni that “Captain Cool” is his brand, such as ads, promotion or public recognition.
The lawyer also said that popularity alone does not give any legal right. Dhoni’s team first said that they wanted to register this name for “proposed use”.
However, later they claimed that they have been using it since 2008. But Chaudhary asked- “Where is the proof? Show any invoice, ad or data!”
Now Chaudhary has asked the trademark registry to reject Dhoni’s application. He says that if trademarks start being given on such common words, then it will be against the law.
