Murder on the Menu: The Sensational Story of the Tycoon Who Founded Saravana Bhavan

by Nirupama Subramanian

He was India’s ‘Dosa King’. She, a beautiful, married woman, was his employee’s daughter. He became obsessed with her. And would stop at nothing to get her . . .The story of lust, black magic, kidnapping and murder that led to the downfall of one of India’s most brilliant entrepreneursWhen P. Rajagopal, founder of the famous Saravana Bhavan restaurant chain, was arrested for murder, it sent shock waves throughout the country. A gripping true-crime thriller, this is the first full story of the meteoric rise and dramatic fall of the brilliant entrepreneur, already married to two women, whose lust for a third woman led him to plan a cold-blooded killing.A riveting page-turner, Murder on the Menu follows the trail of the murder plot over eight districts of Tamil Nadu. It describes the courtroom dramas that took place as the case dragged on for eighteen long years even as Rajagopal’s empire continued to grow and prosper, and tracks his life from his humble beginnings in a sleepy village to his shocking end just days after the Supreme Court upheld his life sentence for murder.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Crime

129 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 20, 2021

Reviews

[Abhiram R · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's one of those topics that you're enlightened by - in the sense that you knew Nothing about it, and then you read something and you're glad to know what you need to know about it - In this case Saravanabhavan, the hotel chain. But that's where the magic ends - the journey from darkness to light is a very short one and after that it's a lot of details you don't really care for because you've already painted a picture of the person in question in your mind and now nothing about him surprises you anymore.
It was very interesting to know about P Rajagopal, the creator of the Hotel Saravana Bhavan chain and it made me sick to my stomach to know what sort of a despicable man (regardless of what he did for his employees, his negatives heavily trumped his positives) he turned out to be. To know that this person's hotel chain is what I was applauding for years During the time that he had already been convicted of Murder but free on bail was very distressing. I will never eat at the chain again and a lot of credit to Nirupama Subramanian for documenting the entire life journey of this man pulling no punches in the process.
I will not call this a must-read. It could have been a long blog post. And my Googling after reading the book told me that it Is, a lot of long blog posts, by many more people on the Internet.
But the fact of the matter is, I did not know of any of this prior to reading the book and to people who are in the same sort of blissful state of having cherished Saravanabhavan as a hotel that served amazing Ghee Roast dosais, this is a wake up call of a book and for that, I think it's a decent read.
3.5/5

[Umesh Kesavan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nirupama Subramanian squanders a golden opportunity by turning into a facts machine instead of delving deep into the mind of a man who was an inspirational restauranteur AND a ruthless womaniser. The irony, the drama and the personalities are all insufficiently dealt with in this case diary format. In a remarkable 2014 NYT profile, Rollo Romig captured the essence of the Rajagopal saga succinctly. Sadly, Nirupama sticks to facts and serves a dosa without masala.

[Yuvashri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could've been a spicy page turner with all the twists and turns and with the book being based on a popular true crime. But instead the book fell short of what was expected, with too many facts and details.

The beginning part of the book had interesting stories about the origin of the 'Saravana Bhavan' and how it set path to many more of its kind to emerge. This book ,even though, didn't serve as a crime thriller, it did instigate in me an interest to know more about Indian brands and Businesses.

Also, got to know of an extraordinary struggle for justice of an ordinary woman. Inspired by her.

3.5/5 stars.

[Meenakshisankar M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a hot topic when it happened, splashed across all tabloids that I used to read regularly in those days. Having followed the case itself during the time, I thought much of it was sensationalized, so I expected that the book would go deeper into the circumstances and offer another unique perspective of looking back at the events with more clarity. But it fell short of my expectations, and remained at the level of a simple recounting of events.

[Rohan Sangodkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

P. Rajagopal, the owner of Sarvana Bhavan, has rags to riches story which can easily be part of any B-school syllabus. His awe-inspiring journey from a rented room to an international franchise has been documented really well in this book.
But the main topic of this book deals with his dark persona. behind a mask of a skilled entrepreneur who took care of his employees like his family, was an egoist womanizer.
Rajagopal, already married twice, set his eyes on his employee's daughter who was newlywed and was totally smitten. Her refusal hurt his ego so much that he ended up murdering her husband. Confident that he will get away due to his political and social clout he did not even attempt covering trails. But unfortunately for him, he found himself in clutches of law.
What followed was a decade-long episode of appeals, sentences, and escapes. It was the failure of our law system that Rajgopal died due to natural causes before spending even a single day in jail.
One thing this book highlight is that a successful person does not necessarily translate to a good person. In a world where self-help books advise mimicking successful people, this could prove to be an eye opener. A really interesting read.

[Ahtims · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always have had an interest in ( reading) true crime, more so, if it were Indian.
So when Gorab, my GR book friend mentioned about this book being available at Amazon for a pittance , I didn't hesitate.
I never did know about this crime though. Somehow it escaped my radar
What I read was scary.
Money can turn oneself into a monster, or whether the monster was already lurking there?

A quick read

[Sairam Krishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Racy, short account of the Saravana Bhavan saga. I did not know so much!

[Sameer Khan Brohi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt the writing was extremely boring, there was no fun in reading. It is like you are reading some files of investigation rather than a book.

[Razeen Muhammed rafi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cadaver was found in Kodaikanal which was unknown.Meantime in Chennai Jeevajyothi whose husband was kidnapped by Sharavana Bhavan owner’s goon have filed a case in Chennai police that she and her family had threat from Rajagopal ,owner of Sharavana Bhavan. Thus begin one woman’s fight against Rajagopal, and cadaver was of Prince santhakumar husband of that woman named Jeeva Jyoti.
On the advice of an astrologer, Rajagopal tried to take Jeevajothi (daughter of his employee) as his third wife who was married to Prince Shantakumar. Book deals with story of Rajagopal and Jeevajyothi’s fight for justice.

ഒരു ജ്യോതിഷൻ്റെ നിർദേശ പ്രകാരം ഹോട്ടൽ ശരവണ ഭവൻ്റെ സ്ഥാപകൻ രാജഗോപാലനു തൻ്റെ ജോലിക്കാരൻ്റെ മകളായ ജീവജ്യോതിയെ വിവാഹം കഴിക്കാൻ ആഗ്രഹിച്ചു/തീരുമാനിച്ചു. ജീവ ജ്യോതി ആദ്യമേ പ്രിൻസ് ശാന്തകുമാർ എന്ന വ്യക്തിയും ആയി വിവാഹം ചെയ്തത് അയിരുന്നു. എന്നൽ രാജഗോപാൽ ഇവരെ തമ്മിൽ പിരികുവൻ കുറെ ശ്രമങ്ങൾ നടത്തി വിഫലം ആയി. അവസാനം പ്രിൻസിൻ്റെ കൊലപതകത്തിൽ അണ് ഇത് അവസാനിച്ചത്.
ഈ പുസ്തകം രാജഗോപലൻ്റെ ജീവിത കഥയോടൊപ്പം ജീവജ്യോതിയുടെ നീതിക്ക് വേണ്ടി ഉള്ള പോരാട്ടത്തിൻ്റെ കഥയും അണ്.

[Monika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started yesterday night, Stayed up late in the night and didn’t do anything in the morning till I finished this. What a mindfuck story. How does a man who was so good & visionary turn into a criminal. Reiterates my belief that we all have a criminal hiding somewhere and the task is to keep it hidden. Also that most successful men are ruthless womanisers with big fat egos. The only complaint I have from the book is that it states facts more than get into his mind or the reactions of people around him. I would have liked to read that

Good read still and yes I made dosa for brunch 🤦🏽‍♀️🤣

[Sagar Godbole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A shocking story about the founder of the popular restaurant chain. The short book focuses on the events leading up to the murder and the legal proceedings that followed and is quite a page turner!

[K · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely nonsense

[Gayatri _ CK · Rating 4 out of 5]

How do I begin? When someone who is filthy rich ends up getting their hands dirty with a murder, it becomes a sensational story, begins with a middle class teen, Rajagopal, running away from parents to a metro city for a lavish livelihood. Lucky stars being in his favour that helped him immensely to build an empire of restaurants Saravana Bhavan named after his favourite Hindu God: Saravanan that mainly serves South Indian food: Idly-vada, Dosa. Rajagopal, whose employees fondly called him Annachi was a Messiah since he provided everything free of cost needed for them and their family's livelihood but then what is a man if not for his insatiable hunger for money. Annachi would go to any sort of copious extent to mint that extra money, be it from consulting an astrologer to practising black magic. Dosa baron lusted for beautiful women, his lecherous eyes were slowly setting on his manager's daughter- Jeevajyothi who was already married to her love Prince Santhakumar making her the gist of this entire saga. When J refused to marry him that's when Annachi falls apart at his seams and starts to behave like a stupid teenager and threatens him to ditch her and start afresh but Prince and Jeevajyothi did not yield to Annachi's browbeating making him question his self-esteem and he plotted for Prince's murder. J ran from pillar to post to press charges against R but futile. Had it not been for the author's digging up of intricate details the world wouldn't have known who finally gave their shoulders to Jeevajyothi while she was fighting this battle alone. The wheels of justice may be slow but grind exceedingly well. Well, after 19 years of this chaos justice was finally served.
Moral: No matter how good a person you're or backed up by the world's greatest astrologer if you're greedy you tend to lose EVERYTHING.

Stay happy stay reading ❤️.

Follow me on instagram: book_burglar

[Arunaa (IG: rebelbooksta) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gobsmacked. Wow, this was one staggering story. I haven't processed the enormity of the crime. Still reeling from the shock-horror that this man Rajagopal - the founder of the multimillion vegetarian restaurant racket had the unthinkable monstrosity in him.

#SaravanaBhavan vegetarian restaurant chains are all over the world, including Singapore. It is almost a cult following with Tamils wanting proper south Indian vegetarian thaali to fill both their hearts & stomachs.

I've heard rumours about the founder Rajagopal being a sari(skirt) chaser. But never in my wildest dreams did I expect this level of viciousness. He's the typical Indian man package of god-fearing man + lecherous sexual predator. Learning how he poured millions of rupees into temple building, it is kinda uncomfortable to know the Hindu pantheon of gods took a liking to him.

He became an unstoppable force in the restaurant industry. Yes, his enterprise that began on very humble terms emerged to be an industrial level sensation. Saravana Bhavan became a common, mindless Tamil household word to a point his crimes went unnoticed as his food and money were fuelling the lawmakers.

Third time's the charm they say. He was hell bent on attaining a third wife by force. Old man actually waited for this female child Jeevajothi to grow up until she reached a marriable age. The unspeakable torture, the calculated crimes he committed, compounded till the murder finale. Horrifying. He was sentenced to life term for homicide only 2 decades later. About the swiftness of justice is a story for another day. Anyway, the megalomaniac died a few years ago.

The author of this book #NirupamaSubramanian so astutely chronicled the episodes culminating in a gobsmacking climax.

I'm fascinated with her wordplay. She literally hammered right on the nail. Watertight plot. Thickened to live up to the thrill it promised. She's a wordsmith. Indisputably my favourite true crime;the best yet.

Million stars for her true crime premise & incredible prose. I sat on edge to read this finish in a single night.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

#MurderOnTheMenu #truecrime #murder #nonfiction #igreads #bookstagram #juggernaut #book #read #bookreview

[Arunaa (IG: rebelbooksta) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gobsmacked. Wow, this was one staggering story. I haven't processed the enormity of the crime. Still reeling from the shock-horror that this man Rajagopal - the founder of the multimillion vegetarian restaurant racket had the unthinkable monstrosity in him.

#SaravanaBhavan vegetarian restaurant chains are all over the world, including Singapore. It is almost a cult following with Tamils wanting proper south Indian vegetarian thaali to fill both their hearts & stomachs.

I've heard rumours about the founder Rajagopal being a sari(skirt) chaser. But never in my wildest dreams did I expect this level of viciousness. He's the typical Indian man package of god-fearing man + lecherous sexual predator. Learning how he poured millions of rupees into temple building, it is kinda uncomfortable to know the Hindu pantheon of gods took a liking to him.

He became an unstoppable force in the restaurant industry. Yes, his enterprise that began on very humble terms emerged to be an industrial level sensation. Saravana Bhavan became a common, mindless Tamil household word to a point his crimes went unnoticed as his food and money were fuelling the lawmakers.

Third time's the charm they say. He was hell bent on attaining a third wife by force. Old man actually waited for this female child Jeevajothi to grow up until she reached a marriable age. The unspeakable torture, the calculated crimes he committed, compounded till the murder finale. Horrifying. He was sentenced to life term for homicide only 2 decades later. About the swiftness of justice is a story for another day. Anyway, the megalomaniac died a few years ago.

The author of this book #NirupamaSubramanian so astutely chronicled the episodes culminating in a gobsmacking climax.

I'm fascinated with her wordplay. She literally hammered right on the nail. Watertight plot. Thickened to live up to the thrill it promised. She's a wordsmith. Indisputably my favourite true crime;the best yet.

Million stars for her true crime premise & incredible prose. I sat on edge to read this finish in a single night.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

#MurderOnTheMenu #truecrime #murder #nonfiction #igreads #bookstagram #juggernaut #book #read #bookreview

[Shreya Tulsyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder on the menu : the sensational story of tycoon who founded Saravana Bhavan

When P Rajagopal, the founder of Saravana Bhavan, famous for its lip smacking dosas, was arrested for the charge of murder it sent shock waves amongst its regular patrons.
This book is based on a true story involving this crime. The best part about the book is that it doesn't take sides between the accused or the victim. Author Nirupama Subramanian has done justice to both sides and let's the readers form their opinion , something which really is praiseworthy.

It starts with the accused P Rajagopal's rags to riches story. How despite of having really modest beginnings he has big dreams and manages to carve a niche for his eatery business. He also has exemplary employee benefit plans which ensure a loyal workforce. As the story progreses you get to know about his other side also where inspite of being happily married he forces his cook's wife to get married to him. His greed knows no bounds and he eyes his employee's already married daughter Jeevjyoti. A crime is committed and the rest of the book lays emphasis on Jeevjyoti's struggle for justice.

The story which actually took place in a span of 2 decades is aptly curtailed in 120 pages. This crime thriller though based on a true incident is more intriguing than the best of crime fictions. Read this book if you really need to know about female grit and determination.
Publisher: juggernaut
Author: nirupama Subramanian

[Shruti Srinivasan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 30 of 2021. Murder On the Menu by Nirupama Subramanian.

A book about how Jeevajyothi, a young girl, took on the baron of the restaurant business in Chennai - the owner of the popular Saravana Bhavan - Rajagopal. .

The events that unfolded were horrific, sinister and evil. The worst part of the case was the reaction of the people, who never even knew that the man behind the "tasty" dosas they were gobbling down was in fact a devil in disguise.

The author gives a detailed account of the happenings of the case that changed the life of a young and newly wed Jeevajyothi. The strength that this young girl displayed was beyond measure indeed. An example to all the women out there not to take any kind of abuse lying down, irrespective of who the abuser is.

I for one am never going to step into a Saravana Bhavan. The biggest lesson that these devils can get is stopping the support - financially or emotionally - that they get. The more we buy their products the more their ugly desires are fulfilled giving them a feeling of invincibility. Though Rajagopal is dead now, this case can serve as a lesson for us about how to deal with such predators who stop at nothing to fulfill their ugly desires.

#book30of2021 #nirupamasubramanian #murderonthemenu #booksofinstagram #booksof2021 #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #bookreviews #mustread #indianbookstagrammer #bookrecommendations

[Prathyush Parasuraman · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a nice, quick murder-mystery for a Sunday, and since it is re-telling true events the author has given some nice ethnographic flashes of the food scene in Chennai amidst which Saravana Bhavan came up in the early 1980s. The owner, P Rajagopal's rags-to-riches story followed by the murder he committed to forcefully marry the daughter of his employee (his third wife, he had done something similar to get his second wife) is laid out.

The research is all there (Rajagopal passed away before she could interview him which is why his character isn't established with the rigour it needed as the central murderer), with the author going to the places, with vivid descriptions of landscape and temples, churches, etc. A map would have been nice, since a lot of these names come in clusters.

I do wish, though, that the book was more rigorously edited. (Is this a uniquely Juggernaut Publications problem?) Lots of blank spaces, or statements that just go unexplained. Repetition and a wobbly structure, all things that a relatively discerning reader can catch on. Nevertheless, it was exactly what I was looking for - a low investment thriller that tells you something of meaning, but is mostly just a fun ride.

[the_ severe_ bibliophiliac · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOOK REVEIW:
👴🍛🏢MURDER ON THE MENU👫🔪🏞

MY REVEIW:
The entire incident is meticulously detailed in an illustrative and engaging narrative. How a man who built his entire fortune scratch, rising from rags to riches, lost the sense of humility due to false pride. Ultimately, that's what led to his grand downfall, unable to take, which he suffered a stroke.
Sarvana Bhavan was India's proper introduction to South Indian Cuisine Ina luxurious and hearty way. But the man behind the famous restaurant chain converted from a beloved leader to a maniac dictator who not only controlled the lives of his employees, given that they had no problem with that, but when he became obsessed with one of his employee's daughter who could have been his granddaughter. He wanted her by hook or by crook, and this obsession of his led to a tragedy ruining several lives and taking away an innocent life.
The author, given her media background, is thorough in all the details regarding the entire ordeal. I love it, which only
Ignited my thirst for more true crimes to read.

[Vidya Swamy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is difficult to believe this actually happened in our times; not in the Chambal but in Tamil Nadu. The outlines of a murder the founder of the iconic Saravana Bhavan chain of restaurants, Pitchai Rajagopal, ordered because he wanted to marry the victim’s wife is known. What ace journalist Nirupama Subramanian does in this page turner is to unravel the rise and fall of a mentally sick married man who, thanks to wealth and inflated ego, had already snatched the wife of one of his employees and then went after another married woman. He may have got away but for bad luck and three women: the young woman whose husband was killed, her mother and J. Jayalalithaa. Rajagopal’s saga is also a commentary on India, where the powerful rarely go to prison even for murder, unless they rub the powers-that-be wrongly; or if a leader like Jayalalithaa decides not to tolerate any injustice to any woman. This is a great read on a grisly crime. 

[Balachander · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good account of the truly ridiculous and horrifying murder that was executed by the goons of the owner of Saravana Bhavan. But if you have already read through the news articles around this, there’s not much that is new. In fact, even the story may not have an impact because of how inured we’re to such stories of villainous people in power exploiting and perpetrating gruesome crimes in those with no power. The interesting parts of the story are those of Rajagopal’s dual personality - a god to his employees, a munificent benefactor but also a ruthless criminal. The other is that of Jeevajyothi, who is pursued relentlessly by Rajagopal and whose husband is murdered. She’s, especially considering her then relative young age, extremely brave in getting justice. A decent and very quick read. ( took me a couple of hours to read it all)

[Anusha Jayaram · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just what I was looking for: a well-written page-turner.
I realised, when I was about to rate this 4 stars, that that wouldn't be entirely fair. After all, it's unrealistic to expect a book about a dosa baron cum murderer to contain life changing prose or philosophical insights. It never claims to do that. So, if I'm being objective and rating this book purely on a scale of whether it does a good job within its stated genre, the answer is: Yes, definitely.

Not only was this an engrossing read, it is apparent that it has been well researched too. I was not aware of the details of the Prince murder by Rajagopal's henchmen, (perhaps because I didn't follow the news when I was that young), so this read like a thriller, even though it was non-fiction.

I'd have to say that I feel a great deal of admiration for the lady, Jeevajothi, aka Principal Witness 1 - the object of Rajagopal's obsession. It's not easy to find someone with such strong will and morals, especially in the face of such coercion and threats to one's life and safety.

Another thing about the book that I liked - although this might not have been the primary objective of the author - is the backdrop it paints of Chennai; the way the city's evolution has been sketched is very interesting, especially for someone like me, who has spent a good part of my childhood in Chennai.
The descriptions of old time haunts like the Drive-in Woodlands (which is now long gone) evoked a certain nostalgia I didn't even know I possessed.

In short, this book is well worth a read: crisp, well-written and factual.

[Surbhi jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Murder on the Menu" takes readers through a captivating and chilling journey into the life of the tycoon who built Saravana Bhavan, one of the most iconic restaurant chains in the world. The book is a fascinating blend of true crime and business, uncovering a murder mystery tied to the success of the restaurant empire. With sharp storytelling, it delves into the darker side of business, ambition, and power, all while revealing secrets that shock and intrigue. If you enjoy gripping real-life stories that blend corporate drama with suspense, this is an absolute must-read.

Quote: "A story where ambition meets murder—"Murder on the Menu" serves up a dish of mystery, power, and intrigue that leaves you hungry for more."

[Nandini Reddy Dayal · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novella details the sensational case in which the food entrepreneur of Hotel Saravana Bhavan, P Rajagopal, is convicted of the murder of Prince Santhakumar, the husband of Jeevajothi, the woman he was lusting after. The real-life incidents themselves were horrific, and at times seemed fictional.

Nirupama Subramanian brings to the fore the inputs from a host of characters who brought the food mogul down. The only thing I would say about the book is that it honestly could have been a full-fledged novel with properly fleshed out characters. Instead, it is presented like a long-form newspaper article and seems to have been a criminally annoying way to present such a tumultuous tale.

[Shivani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short review: WTF??? I mean, really WTAF?!?

Slightly more detailed review: While I knew that this guy was tried and convicted for murder, I didn’t know the ultra shady details surrounding it. The book, in itself, is unfortunately not well-written. The story had the potential (and I think the author intended it as well) to be a racy true crime thriller like “She Said” or “Bad Blood”, but it appears to be hastily cobbled together and edited. The timeline jumps within chapters so you need to go back & forth.
That said, Jeevajothi is a hero and deserves to tell her own story.
2.5 stars strictly rounded to 3

[Anirudh Jain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick Summary: This is the story of P. Rajgopalan , a successful restauranter whose own hubris and malice lead to his downfall. Lusting after a married women, inspite of being married twice lead to a decade long cat mouse chase between Rajgopalan, his lover and the police.

If the initial disclaimer wasn't there that this is based on court documents and newspaper clippings I would have thought this is a work of fiction. It is similar to the tale of Ramayana where Ravan does everything in his power to kidnap the maiden but justice prevails, though this time the fight is on the battleground of the court. An incredible tale which mixes romance, action, murder and even black magic.

[Devanshu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gives a detailed account of one of the most sensational cases in recent times in India. Apart from it being very anecdotal doesn’t offer much insight into the psyche of the criminally minded humans. What really motivates a rich successful person to fall to the lowest depths of human nature. Such insights would have made the narrative more interesting. It’s largely a well collated book of all the news stories around the infamous incident. Although I enjoyed the beginning where the author introduces a brief history of Madras eateries.

[Anna – ARC reader extraordinaire! · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book from an Indian friend after eating at the restaurant owned by the person who forms the crux of this true-crime novel. It is a very well-written book that wasn’t hard to understand, even though it takes place in a world that I know very little about. The entire episode of the murder is both depressing and fascinating, and I kept wondering how could this happen. I was lucky to have my friend, who explained some of the basics behind the crime. So, it helps a lot if you know a little about the whole situation beforehand.

[VIKRANT WAGHMARE · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives you a good glimpse of Chennai's development in terms of the Restaurant business and how the taste of people changed. The narrative are crisp and without any exaggeration. The book however fails to create connection with the story in the later part. The beginning is nice though. The author has successfully maintained the neutral stand which is worth appreciating.

[Sid · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe it is my extensive reading on good investigative journalism in the last few years , but I found this book to be written in a Very superficial way. One could also call the writing lazy and the research lackluster.

The story and the characters seemed to be much for intriguing but the author has squandered the chance to reflect the same in her writing.