The Madras High Court has dismissed a petition filed by the Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA), which sought to restrict individuals and social media channels from reviewing films within the first three days of their theatrical release. The plea, which aimed to protect the reputations of directors, actors, and producers from defamatory content, was rejected by Justice S. Sounthar, who emphasized the importance of freedom of expression in the film industry.
The TFAPA petition argued that certain individuals, under the guise of film reviews, were defaming filmmakers and harming their reputations. Advocate Vijayan Subramanian, representing the association, contended that these reviews, often published on social media platforms like YouTube, were causing significant damage to the reputation of filmmakers. These reviews were also believed to influence box office collections negatively before audiences had a chance to form their own opinions, especially in cases of “review bombing” — a practice where films receive a deluge of negative reviews from individuals with personal or business vendettas.
The association requested the court to prevent YouTube channels from entering cinema theatres for review purposes and to issue orders to the City Police Commissioner to regulate the activities of these reviewers. TFAPA also expressed concern about the lack of regulation and self-discipline on social media platforms, which they claimed were being used to manipulate film ratings.
However, Justice Sounthar rejected the request for an interim order, highlighting that reviewers were entitled to their opinion and could freely review films. The court acknowledged the challenges posed by unregulated online reviews but emphasized that freedom of expression was a fundamental right.
The case, which reflects the growing concerns among Tamil filmmakers regarding the impact of early reviews on commercial performance, has now been adjourned for further proceedings after four weeks. Notices have been issued to the Union and state governments, as well as YouTube, to respond to the petition.
The plea follows a series of controversies surrounding early reviews of films like Kanguva, Indian 2, and Vettaiyan, which were reportedly affected by negative reviews and fan interviews on YouTube channels. In response, the TFAPA and the Tamil Nadu Producers Council have called for guidelines to regulate online film reviews and urged theatre owners to prevent YouTubers from conducting interviews on their premises.
Sources By Agencies
