The Madras High Court has rejected a plea by the Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA) seeking to restrict the publication of film reviews within three days of a movie’s release. The court’s decision, delivered by Justice S. Sounthar, emphasized the fundamental right of reviewers to express their opinions, denying the request for an interim order that would have barred individuals and social media channels from reviewing films immediately after their debut.
The TFAPA, represented by Advocate Vijayan Subramanian, had argued that premature film reviews, particularly those appearing on platforms like YouTube, often involve misuse of the review process to defame film industry professionals, thereby damaging their reputations and adversely affecting box office revenues. The association expressed concerns about the lack of regulatory measures on social media, which they claimed contributed to defamatory comments and “review bombing,” where movie ratings are deliberately manipulated due to personal or competitive motives.
The petition also called for action from the City Police Commissioner to prevent YouTube channels from accessing cinema theaters for the purpose of conducting reviews, which TFAPA contends skews public perception and hampers the audience’s ability to form their own opinions about new releases.
Despite these arguments, Justice Sounthar declined to curtail the freedom of speech guaranteed to reviewers, citing the impracticality of implementing such a restriction. The court has issued notices to the Union and state governments, as well as YouTube, seeking their responses on the matter, with further proceedings scheduled to take place in four weeks.
The request for regulatory intervention follows recent grievances voiced by Tamil filmmakers, who have cited significant commercial losses attributed to early negative reviews and fan interviews conducted on YouTube. These reviews, according to TFAPA, have notably impacted films such as ‘Kanguva’, ‘Indian 2’, and ‘Vettaiyan’.
In response to the ongoing issue, both TFAPA and the Tamil Nadu Producers Council have advocated for guidelines to better regulate online film reviews and have urged cinema hall owners to ban YouTubers from conducting interviews within their premises.
