The Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA) has filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court seeking a three-day ban on movie reviews across social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X, starting from a film’s release. Filed through counsel Vijayan Subramanian, the petition also seeks directions from the Central and State governments to frame guidelines for online film critics. The case is scheduled to be heard by Justice S. Sounthar.
The move 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 impact the box office, which industry insiders attribute partly to unfavorable online reviews.
நம்மைச் சுற்றி நடக்கும் அநீதிகளை, அத்துமீறல்களை, மோசடிகளை கண்டும் காணாமல் கடப்பதை பார்க்கும் நாம் மூன்று மணி நேர திரைப்படத்தை பொழுதுபோக்கு அம்சமாக மட்டுமே பார்க்காமல், அது ஏதோ மொத்த சமுதாயத்திற்கும் அநீதி விளைவித்தது போல பலர் பேசி வருவது அநீதியான செயல்: தமிழ்… pic.twitter.com/BGtmsrg7h5
— Nikil Murukan (@onlynikil) November 20, 2024
The TFAPA and TNPC claim 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 current petition follows a similar precedent in Kerala, where a seven-day ban on YouTube reviews was implemented in 2023. The decision came after Mubeen Rauf, the director of Aromalinte Adyathe Pranayam, alleged that negative public opinion videos adversely affected his film’s business.
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 Hindustan Times)
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