In 1957, Nagasamy Naidu was running a small paan shop in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, when his family's biryani recipe became the foundation of a restaurant venture. Nearly seven decades later, the business has grown into Dindigul Thalappakatti, a restaurant chain with more than 100 outlets and annual revenue of about Rs 475 crore in FY25.
Nagasamy Naidu's wife had developed a biryani recipe that attracted customers in Dindigul. It relied on seeraga samba rice, a short-grain variety that absorbs the flavours of spices, along with a distinctive masala blend and meat sourced from the region.
Recognising the recipe’s commercial potential, the family opened Anandha Vilas Biriyani Hotel in 1957. Despite its grand name, the restaurant initially had seating for only four customers.
Its reputation, however, spread beyond its modest premises. Customers began associating the restaurant with Naidu, who regularly sat at the cash counter wearing a white shirt, white dhoti and a distinctive turban.
The headgear eventually became central to the brand's identity. Customers began referring to the restaurant as Thalappakatti, a reference to the turban, rather than using its registered name.