Tamil producers seek ban on movie reviews; Petition filed in Madras High Court

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Film Producers' Association has filed a petition in the Madras High Court seeking a temporary ban on movie reviews for the first three days following a film's release. The plea also requests directives to the central and state governments to regulate such reviews.

According to the petition, some reviewers are allegedly attempting to sabotage films intentionally, citing recent examples like Vettaiyan, Kanguva and Indian 2. The producers claim that negative reviews, often posted online immediately after the first show, have severely impacted the box office performance of these high-budget productions.

The controversy escalated after reviews of Suriya's Kanguva surfaced during the first show’s interval, which producers believe contributed significantly to the film’s commercial failure. Similarly, the much-anticipated releases of Rajinikanth's Vettaiyan and Kamal Haasan's Indian 2 reportedly fell short of box office expectations, sparking heated debates within the industry.

In a bid to curb the trend, the producers' association had earlier written to theater owners, urging them to prevent YouTubers from entering theaters to conduct reviews. With no resolution from theater owners, the association has now sought judicial intervention. The petition is scheduled to be heard by the Madras High Court today.

This issue is not confined to Tamil Nadu. Recently, Malayalam film producers also voiced concerns over review bombing and sought High Court intervention. In Kerala, guidelines were issued after an amicus curie was appointed, with several complaints filed against YouTube reviewers, including Ashwanth Kok.