Madras High Court Denies Producers Association Request to Prohibit Film Reviews for Initial Three Days Post-Release
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Chennai, Dec 3 (NationPress) The Madras High Court has refused to issue an interim order that would stop individuals or social media outlets from providing reviews of films within the initial three days of their theatrical debut.
While hearing the petition from the Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA), Justice S. Sounthar expressed doubts about the practicality of such a prohibition, stating, “Reviewers have the right to express their views on any film; it is their perspective.”
Advocate Vijayan Subramanian, representing TFAPA, contended that some individuals, masquerading as film reviewers, engage in defamation of directors, actors, and producers, thus harming their reputations.
The association sought to impose restrictions on these actions and requested the court to instruct the City Police Commissioner to bar YouTube channels from entering cinemas for the purpose of film reviews.
The petition pointed out the absence of oversight and self-regulation on social media platforms, which leads to derogatory comments and organized efforts to skew film ratings, a practice referred to as “review bombing.”
TFAPA asserted that such activities, often driven by personal or commercial rivalries, adversely affect public perception and undermine box-office revenues before audiences can form their own opinions.
The judge declined to issue a comprehensive order or directives of this nature, underscoring the significance of freedom of expression.
Notices were sent to the Union and state governments, along with YouTube, for their feedback.
The case has been scheduled for further hearings in four weeks.
This petition emerges amid rising concerns among Tamil filmmakers regarding the effects of premature reviews on their films' box-office success.
Recently, films such as ‘Kanguva’, ‘Indian 2’, and ‘Vettaiyan’ were reportedly impacted by adverse reviews and fan interviews on YouTube channels.
TFAPA and the Tamil Nadu Producers Council have called for the establishment of guidelines to oversee online film reviews and have urged theatre owners to prohibit YouTubers from conducting interviews on their premises.
