In its petition, the Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA) acknowledged the growing influence of social media film reviewers in shaping audience perception and industry trends.
Published Dec 03, 2024 | 5:51 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 03, 2024 | 5:51 PM
Madras High Court. (Wikimedia Commons)
The Madras High Court on Tuesday, 3 December, declined to issue an interim order preventing individuals or social media channels from reviewing films within three days of their theatrical release.
Justice S Sounthar heard the petition filed by the Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA), which sought to restrain online film reviewers, arguing that such reviews significantly influence the audience in a negative manner.
According to Livelaw, the court decided to issue notice to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Information Technology and Digital Services in the State of Tamil Nadu, the Commissioner of Police and YouTube.
In its petition, the Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA) acknowledged the growing influence of social media film reviewers in shaping audience perception and industry trends.
However, it highlighted challenges arising from biased reviews, where some individuals or groups, motivated by personal or business rivalries, spread negative reviews to damage a film’s reputation before it is even seen by audiences.
The association pointed out that negative review bombing undermines the integrity of the review process, often distorting the true quality of films and affecting their box office performance. It also raised concerns about fake profiles being created to post negative reviews for monetary gain.
The association informed the court that due to the negative review bombing, there were instances where the producers had a hard time selling the movies to the OTT platforms and Satellite channels and in some cases, even theatres were getting closed due to poor box office performance.
Earlier in November, the Tamil Film Active Producers’ Association condemned the misuse of film reviews for personal attacks and inciting violence against filmmakers. They emphasized that film critiques should focus on the film itself, not serve as platforms for personal vendettas or hateful rhetoric.
The association criticized YouTube channels that amplify extreme audience comments immediately after a film’s release, misrepresenting collective sentiment and spreading unwarranted hatred.
They cited the example of Kanguva, where inflammatory comments were circulated. The association urged the Tamil Nadu Theater Owners Association to ban public reviews near theatres and warned of legal action against unethical practices. They called for unity in the industry to foster constructive discussions around films.
The Tamil Film Active Producers’ Association (@tfapatn), in a strongly-worded statement, has condemned the misuse of film reviews to carry out personal attacks and incite violence against filmmakers.
The association stated, “Critiquing films is a right that every media… pic.twitter.com/OLNNME4GId
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) November 20, 2024
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
