KD: The Devil, starring Dhruva Sarja, has brought back into focus a curious and increasingly common practice in the Kannada film industry, switching off audience reviews at the very moment they matter most. On BookMyShow, the film’s page currently carries a notice that ratings and reviews have been disabled following a court order, effectively muting public opinion during its opening phase.

This isn’t a one-off decision. A string of recent Kannada releases like Darshan's The Devil and Sudeep's Mark has taken a similar route, with filmmakers seeking legal protection against what they argue are orchestrated negative campaigns. In an era where social media reactions can snowball within hours, the fear is that early, and often extreme, opinions could dent a film’s box office prospects before it even finds its footing with a wider audience.

From the industry’s point of view, the move is about buying time — a brief window where the film can speak for itself in theatres rather than be shaped by hashtags and review trends. But that argument doesn’t go unchallenged. For audiences, online ratings have become a quick, trusted filter in an overcrowded content landscape. Taking that away, even temporarily, raises an obvious question: is the industry shielding its films from unfair trolling, or from honest criticism?

The courts have so far enabled this balancing act, granting interim orders that allow review sections to be suspended for a limited period. Yet, the larger dilemma remains unresolved.