The Telugu film industry, popularly known as Tollywood, has launched a decisive offensive against what it terms the "Review Mafia." This bold move follows a significant legal victory that has empowered producers to seek court-backed protections against manipulated online ratings. The industry is now preparing for a comprehensive digital reset to safeguard its creative and financial investments.
The Legal Catalyst and Industry-Wide Impact
The war was officially declared after a court order permitted the blocking of public ratings for Megastar Chiranjeevi's latest release. This legal precedent has opened the door for other major Sankranti season films to follow suit. Producers of upcoming big-ticket movies starring Ravi Teja, Sharwanand, and Naveen Polishetty are now initiating similar processes to secure their films from coordinated online attacks. This collective action marks a pivotal moment for an industry tired of battling orchestrated campaigns.
Actor Vijay Deverakonda, a vocal critic of such practices, expressed relief at the development. He revealed that he first witnessed the "shocking politics of organised attacks" during the release of his film Dear Comrade. "My voice all these years fell on deaf ears," he stated, noting that he was often told a good film couldn't be stopped. He observed that every producer and director who worked with him later understood the scale of the problem. Deverakonda is glad the issue is now in the open and that the courts recognize the threat, even to films starring someone as powerful as Chiranjeevi. He believes that while this step won't solve the problem entirely, it removes one major worry for filmmakers.
Directors and Producers Weigh In: A Mixed but Hopeful Response
The industry's reaction is a blend of cautious optimism and pragmatic concern. Director Venkatesh Maha acknowledged it as a good move but questioned its ultimate effectiveness in a democratic country where social media gives everyone a voice. He pointed out that audiences heavily rely on social media opinions, and different genres appeal to different viewers. While not condemning reviews on ticketing platforms outright, he admitted they hold significant power to influence a film's fate and are susceptible to manipulation. Maha stressed the need for filmmakers and producers to unite, hold serious discussions, and develop well-thought-out initiatives to address the core issue.
Director Sashi Kiran Tikka highlighted the critical difference between social media chatter and ticketing platforms. He noted that today's online opinions often shape audience perception before a film is even seen. While negative or fake reviews on social media are hard to control, a ticketing platform is where the financial decision happens. "That's the moment when people are actually spending money," he said, agreeing that blocking ratings there is a sensible, positive step for now, though its long-term effects remain to be seen.
Offering a stark perspective, director Teja called current ratings "largely bought," describing them as a price for visibility on booking portals. He views disabling them as a necessary corrective measure to stop the manipulation where ratings are artificially boosted for some films and deliberately tanked for others. Teja believes this could level the playing field for smaller films and force a return to cinema's most honest feedback system: genuine word of mouth. "That's how films once grew — people watched them, stepped out, and recommended them," he remarked, seeing this move as a return to the industry's roots.
A Step Towards Protecting Business and Art
Director Koushik Pegallapati made a clear distinction between a platform's roles. He argued that ticketing platforms should focus solely on selling tickets, not doubling as review spaces. He drew an analogy to a physical ticket counter, where it would be unacceptable for staff to dissuade a customer by saying a film is bad. Pegallapati noted that initial-day reviews are often clouded by hype, fan wars, or paid narratives, unfairly impacting opening-day footfalls before audiences can form their own opinions. He emphasized that cinema is subjective, and a booking platform should facilitate access, not predetermine a film's fate.
The producer's viewpoint, represented by Abhishek Agarwal, underscores the severe financial ramifications. He revealed that his film Tiger Nageswara Rao was severely affected by manipulated reviews. Citing the example of The Kashmir Files, which saw its ratings driven down to 6–6.5 and lower, he described managing a film's rating as a constant challenge. Agarwal firmly believes this court order will help curb baseless online negativity and protect revenues. He reminded that losses ripple through the entire ecosystem, impacting not just producers but also exhibitors and theatres, causing multiple stakeholders to suffer when a film underperforms due to unfair practices.
This unified stance by Tollywood, from stars to directors and producers, signals a new chapter in the industry's relationship with digital feedback. The move to disable ratings on ticketing platforms is a direct attempt to reclaim narrative control and ensure that a film's journey is decided more by audience experience in theatres and less by potentially manipulated numbers online.
