Kerala High Court Asserts Purpose of Movie Reviews, Directs Action Against Review Bombing

The Kerala High Court emphasized the purpose of movie reviews as informative tools meant to enlighten the audience rather than being tools of destruction and extortion. The court made these remarks while addressing petitions filed by the Kerala Film Producers Association and other stakeholders against the rising trend of review bombing in the film industry.

Justice Devan Ramachandran stressed that the reputation of individuals involved in a movie should not be sacrificed due to the unbridled freedom of expression. The court directed the state police chief to comply with its previous order, urging appropriate action against anonymous posts containing vituperative or virulent content related to movie reviews.

The court highlighted that reviews are intended to inform and enlighten the audience. It emphasized that police authorities must carefully consider this perspective and take necessary actions against individuals engaging in malicious activities online. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on November 21.

During the previous hearing, the court had emphasized the need for monitoring online platforms to prevent the circulation of anonymous and malicious reviews. The state government informed the court that the police had already initiated action based on several complaints, ensuring that all anonymous posts were being closely monitored and investigated seriously. The central government counsel informed the court that competent authorities were looking into the matter and requested two weeks to file a detailed reply, which was granted by the court.