The Madras High Court has turned down a petition filed by the Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA), which sought to prohibit movie reviews for the first three days following a film’s release. The association argued that negative reviews shortly after release often harm a film’s commercial performance.
The petition was reportedly inspired by recent criticism faced by the Tamil film Kanguva, starring actor Suriya, which premiered on 14 November 2024. According to TFAPA, the negative reviews allegedly impacted the movie’s box office revenue. The move to file a petition follows escalating concerns within the Tamil film industry regarding the impact of immediate and harsh online reviews on box office performance. According to the Tamil Nadu Producers Council (TNPC), films like Indian 2, Vettaiyan, and Suriya’s Kanguva have suffered significant losses due to negative reviews and personal attacks shared on YouTube and other platforms shortly after release. Kanguva, in particular, failed to make an impact at the box office, which industry insiders attribute partly to unfavorable online reviews.
However, the court ruled against the TFAPA petition for ban, emphasizing that criticism, including film reviews, falls under the constitutional right to freedom of expression. The bench added that individuals or organizations have the option to approach law enforcement if they believe defamatory content is being disseminated.
The TFAPA and TNPC claimed that such reviews often include personal malice and incitement of hatred disguised as criticism, severely affecting the reputation of actors, directors, and producers. The TNPC also issued a four-page statement condemning this practice and requesting theatre owners to ban YouTube channels from recording public opinions and reviews inside theatre premises. In response, some theatres have already restricted access to YouTubers during screenings.
The TNPC emphasized that critics have the right to express their opinions but called for responsible reviewing that avoids personal attacks or sowing hatred against films. The association urged all stakeholders in the film industry to take unified action to discourage such practices.
The Tamil film industry has been grappling with back-to-back underperforming big-budget films, including those featuring major stars like Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, and Suriya. Producers claim that immediate online reviews, particularly first-day-first-show (FDFS) reactions, discourage audiences from watching movies, leading to financial losses.
(With inputs from DTNext)
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.