Director Prem Kumar Slams ‘Paid Reviewers’ for Hurting Tamil Cinema’s Box Office

Last Updated Jul - 09 - 2025, 06:14 PM | Source : Fela News

At the South Directors Roundtable, 96 filmmaker Prem Kumar criticised paid reviewers for undermining genuine film criticism and impacting opening week collectio

At the South Directors Roundtable during the Screenwriters Association's 7th Indian Screenwriters Conference, filmmaker Prem Kumar — known for emotional hits like *96* and *Meiyazhagan* — shared his concerns about the current state of film criticism in the Tamil film industry. He was joined by fellow directors Vivek Athreya (Telugu), Hemanth Rao (Kannada), and Christo Tomy (Malayalam).

Prem voiced strong criticism of what he called "paid reviewers," claiming they are damaging Kollywood’s box office performance. “Negative reviews during a film’s first week are becoming a serious issue in Tamil cinema,” he said. When asked if he was referring to general word-of-mouth, Prem clarified that he was talking about a new breed of reviewers whose reviews, he said, are often offensive in tone and seem driven by ulterior motives. “Their language and approach are not civilised, and their intent isn’t genuine criticism,” he noted.

He further alleged that these reviewers intentionally impact the opening week collections of films, aiming to attract producers who may offer incentives for favorable reviews in the future. “More than 90% of reviewers today fall into this category. Genuine critics lack the skill or reach to influence audiences,” Prem stated, calling for producers to step in and regulate the situation.

Prem began his film career as a cinematographer with titles like *Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom* (2012) and *Yeidhavan* (2017), before making his directorial debut with the widely acclaimed *96* (2018), starring Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha Krishnan. He also helmed *Jaanu*, the 2020 Telugu remake of *96*, and more recently directed *Meiyazhagan* (2024), which was well-received. He is currently preparing a sequel to *96*.