Kochi: As Kerala police registered the first case on cinema review bombing, the Kerala Film Producers Association has decided to intensify action against the activities that degrade movies. Addressing the media here on Thursday, the association spokesperson and noted film producer G Suresh Kumar said that no one will be allowed to review the movie in the premises of the cinema halls.
“ Movie reviews at theatres will be banned. Someone who is seeking the audience response on the movie at film theatres can't be considered a journalist,” said Suresh Kumar.
He added that the association is planning to bring strict protocol for movie promotion and banning movie reviews at film theatres in its meeting with FEFKA on October 31.
Meanwhile, Kerala Film Chamber secretary Saji Nanthyatt alleged that a caucus is functioning in Kerala to conduct negative reviews of movies.
"People have the right to say their opinion on the movie as they are spending money on it. But now, the reviewing of movies has been professionalised. Five or six people are planning against newly released movies. A lobby is functioning in this manner," he said.
On October 25, the Kerala police have lodged an FIR against YouTube, Facebook and some others in connection with a filmmaker's complaint of negative reviews being uploaded on the two social media platforms regarding his movie. Besides the two platforms, the list of accused includes the owner of a cinema promotion company and several Facebook and YouTube account holders who allegedly posted the negative reviews.
Ubaidi, in his complaint to the police, has claimed that since the release of his film -- Rahel Makan Kora -- on October 13, some Facebook and YouTube account holders were posting bad comments about his movie along with "negative review bomb videos".
He also claimed that the owner of the cinema promotion company, the first accused in the FIR, threatened him by saying that if he opted for legal recourse, it would do him more harm than good. Ubaidi has alleged that the accused were intimidating him and threatening him with harm for the purpose of extortion.
He also alleged that Facebook and YouTube were allowing the accused to post and spread false and negative reviews about his film.
(With PTI inputs)
