Can Courts Really Stop Fake Ratings and Online Trolling of Films?
The recent court order obtained by the makers of Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi's latest film, Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, to restrict ratings and reviews on online ticketing platforms like BookMyShow has reignited a crucial debate in the entertainment industry. This legal intervention raises fundamental questions about whether judicial measures can effectively curb manipulated online feedback that potentially distorts audience opinion and impacts commercial success.
The Commercial Impact of Early Ratings
For major film releases, early ratings on ticketing and aggregation platforms wield significant influence over multiple aspects of a movie's performance. According to legal expert Sudhir Raja Ravindran of Altacit Global, these early assessments directly affect footfall in theaters, distributor confidence, and ultimately box office revenue. The concern isn't about legitimate criticism but rather about distorted market signaling that occurs when ratings come from non-viewers or organized campaigns rather than genuine audience members.
Ravindran emphasized that such court orders aim to pause or neutralize potentially misleading signals rather than suppress authentic feedback. This distinction becomes crucial in understanding the legal rationale behind these interventions, which seek to protect commercial interests during the most vulnerable period of a film's release cycle.
The Ecosystem of Manipulated Reviews
Industry experts point to a complex ecosystem where ratings and reviews, though largely informal, can work systematically against films. Coordinated down-rating campaigns, fan-driven rivalries, ideological backlash, and even automated or semi-automated activities can manipulate audience perception before people have watched the film. Past examples include notable Bollywood films like Laal Singh Chaddha, Brahmastra, and Raksha Bandhan that faced significant online trolling.
Film producer and trade expert Girish Johar noted that fan clubs in southern film industries can become particularly aggressive, with court orders attempting to curb negative campaigning by opposing groups. Legal professional Aishwarya Kaushiq of BTG Advaya explained that when platforms experience pre-release flooding of coordinated or automated ratings, these function as misleading commercial signals causing immediate, irreparable harm to films.
Platform Responses and Systemic Challenges
Major platforms have acknowledged the problem while emphasizing their commitment to genuine feedback systems. A BookMyShow spokesperson stated that their platform publishes ratings only from verified users who have purchased tickets and watched films, positioning themselves as neutral intermediaries that comply with all legal requirements. The spokesperson also warned against individuals falsely representing the platform to manipulate ratings.
IMDb India's head Yaminie Patodia previously explained that the platform actively monitors for patterns of rating manipulation, updating algorithms to reduce the impact of abusive behavior across all titles. However, as legal expert Hardeep Sachdeva of AZB & Partners noted, court orders provide immediate relief but don't solve the systemic issue of manipulated reviews across social media platforms.
The Legal Perspective on Temporary Solutions
According to Rishabh Gandhi of Rishabh Gandhi and Advocates, these court orders work most effectively when they're limited in scope, time-bound, and issued early in a film's release cycle. Such measures don't judge artistic merit but rather pause potential damage during the most commercially vulnerable window, allowing organic audience feedback to eventually take precedence.
The problem extends beyond cinema to app stores, e-commerce platforms, and global content aggregators where early or coordinated ratings can similarly skew perception. While platforms deploy moderation tools like detecting abnormal spikes and removing bots, the fundamental challenge remains balancing genuine audience feedback with protection against manipulation.
The Broader Implications for Free Speech
Legal expert Aarushi Jain of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas highlighted the delicate balance between protecting free speech through genuine reviews and preventing the damaging effects of fake reviews. She pointed out that some social media platforms already allow content creators to switch off comments, suggesting possible models for managing feedback mechanisms in the entertainment industry.
As the entertainment industry grapples with these challenges, the fundamental question remains: Can legal interventions effectively address the systemic problem of manipulated online ratings, or do they merely provide temporary relief while the underlying issues persist in the digital ecosystem?
