KOCHI: Review this! Of the over 190 Malayalam movies released thus far in 2023, only 10 can be considered as box-office successes. Now, the big talking point is the argument by the industry that films are flopping one after the other due to what it terms review bombing, which involves influencing the rating system via a semi-organised campaign of online negative reviews.
Should we lend any weight to the reasoning?
“Around six to eight Malayalam flicks are released every week. Our industry does not need these many movies. We should focus on quality rather than numbers. The audience is not even aware of new releases,” says Liberty Basheer, former president of Kerala Film Exhibitors Federation.
Yet, producers are adamant that movies are being bombed due to adverse reviews. “Cinema is an industry involving many people. Criticising and mocking the movies and the people behind them is not a good trend. The association has come up with a protocol to stop the trend of review bombing,” notes G Suresh Kumar, president of the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce.
Some of this year’s big flops include King of Kotha, Kasargold, Ramachandra Bose, Janaki Jaane, Ayalvaashi, and Enthada Saji. There were some hits, too, including 2018, Kannur Squad, RDX, and Romancham. In fact, 2018 and Kannur Squad hit the Rs 100-crore club, a rare feat in the Malayalam industry.
Producer N M Badusha stresses that the industry is not against reviews. “We have nothing against the right to freedom of speech. If audiences do not like a movie, they have the right to say so. However, a postmortem of movies, body shaming and poking fun at the people involved is not appreciable,” he said.
“When there are several movies released simultaneously, it is the reviews that audiences rely on,” says Siyad Koker, president of the Film Distributors Association. “When the negatives of a movie are projected, audiences are dissuaded from visiting the cinemas to watch it,” he adds.
According to film critic CS Venkiteswaran, reviewers and vloggers enjoy the same freedom of expression as filmmakers. “Reviewers have the right to express their opinion. One cannot claim that a film deserves special protection because it involves significant investment. Every art form which involves time, energy and talent is subject to criticism,” he said.
It was Mubeen Rauf, director of Aromalinte Aadhyathe Pranayam, who approached the Kerala High Court seeking an order to bar the posting of reviews within seven days of the release of a movie. Later, Kerala police filed a case against some reviewers on a complaint by Ubaini E, director of Rahel Makan Kora. Shaji N Karun, chairman of Kerala State Film Development Corporation, says cinema is an art and it requires an incubation period. “Film is not a consumer product. We will get clarity about the art only after watching it. Critics should not try to stop the audience from watching a movie,” he said.
Word-of-mouth publicity is what matters, says Liberty Basheer. “If a movie proves to be appealing, people will come to theatres. Kannur Squad is a case in point. It had very limited promotion, yet, was a big hit. 2018 and Romancham are other examples,” he added.
New producers must be careful about the emerging scenario, where online channels and reviewers demand money for favourable promotions. “There are online channels or reviewers who try to trap producers by offering better promotion or blackmailing them. It is young producers who fall prey to such people. They have to be vigilant,” says Basheer.
Earlier in the year, the Kerala Film Chamber banned YouTube reviewers who take the response of audiences to movies after the first show, claiming that it affects revenues. Venkiteswaran adds that the solution is not to silence the critics but to find their voice.
“The director's and producers’ reactions reveal a lack of confidence in their product. Whether the film business is creative and resourceful enough to take on the criticism and thrive is the question. Instead of silencing critics, the industry should appreciate their inputs and embrace their role in shaping the discourse surrounding their work,” he said.
SHOW BIZ
190 - No. of movies released in 2023* (*As of October 31)
Box-office successes
2018
Romancham
RDX
Kannur Squad