Haircut gone wrong, Model Aashna Roy sues salon of Rs 2 crore; gets Rs 25 lakh

A seemingly ordinary trip to a luxury hotel salon culminated in one of the most unusual consumer disputes in recent memory, and now, the Supreme Court of India has delivered its final judgment.

What began in April 2018 as a salon visit by model Aashna Roy to the salon of ITC Maurya in New Delhi turned into a protracted legal battle that lasted seven years and reached the Supreme Court.

Hairstyle Gone Wrong

According to court records, Roy visited the salon ahead of an important interview and asked for a haircut with long layers. Instead, she alleged, the stylist cut her hair much shorter than instructed. Claiming the bad experience caused mental distress, loss of confidence, and a setback to her modelling career, she later lodged a complaint.

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In September 2021, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) found ITC guilty of ‘deficiency in service’ and awarded Roy Rs 2 crore in compensation along with interest. The commission held that the faulty haircut and subsequent treatment harmed her career opportunities and caused emotional trauma.

Supreme Court's Intervention

ITC challenged the order before the Supreme Court, arguing that the quantum of compensation was disproportionate and unsupported by credible evidence. The apex court agreed that while service deficiency had been established, large awards must be grounded in reliable proof of actual loss.

In its latest judgment delivered in February 2026, a bench of Justices Rajesh Bindal and Manmohan upheld the finding of deficiency in service but slashed the award to Rs 25 lakh.