Tollywood's collective aim seems to be to put a pause button on YouTube reviews by Sankranthi 2027. A YouTube reviewer, whose reviews are notoriously over-critical, is fighting six court cases at the moment. He has claimed that the makers of four out of five Sankranthi 2026 releases, earlier this month, filed interim injunctions against him.
The sexy playbook:
Last year, when Kannappa was released, YouTube reviews and memers were not over-critical. In an interview, producer S Naga Vamsi pointed out that Manchu Vishnu had done something right to ensure that YouTubers and memers were "too scared" to even utter the name of the film. "I don't know what he did, but he did something that we don't know about. In the first two days of Kannappa's release, reviews were not extreme. The opinions expressed in them were filtered," Naga Vamsi shared last year. The Manchu Vishnu playbook has been deployed by others. Naga Vamsi himself has been taking a YouTube reviewer head-on.
Criticism is 'defamatory':
In the coming months, critical reviewers can expect multiple copyright strikes and/or injunction orders restraining the publication of "defamatory" content. Producers have started viewing critical reviews as damaging and insulting. While reviewers might ultimately be protected by higher courts (particularly the Supreme Court), it is possible that most of them will not have the patience and financial wherewithal to fight film producers. Court cases are prolonged and involve lots of monetary spend. Most reviewers will stop putting out video reviews.
Recent win:
BookMyShow, earlier this month, disabled ratings and reviews on its platform for Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu. This was required by a court order. AiPlex and BlockBigg made it happen. The two digital rights management (DRM) and anti-piracy firms typically help content creators and brands protect their intellectual property online. AiPlex's help will be sought by Tollywood producers in their fight against reviewers.
