Production house Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, headed by Sajid Nadiadwala, has issued an advisory against paid reviews and taken action against individuals who “were demanding money and threatening to malign the reputation” of their films, directors and lead actors. The production house said that they have urged authorities to take action against such individuals.
Taking to social media, they issued a statement noting how the banner has been in existence for 75 years, producing multiple films and “nurturing warm, professional relationships with all stakeholders in the industry.” They wrote that their objection is not to genuine reviews. “We are firm supporters of the freedom of speech and expression as enshrined in the Constitution of India. We have never objected — and will never object — to fair criticism or reviews of our films. On the contrary, we believe that constructive criticism is essential for helping filmmakers grow and for fostering the healthy development of the industry,” said the banner.
The statement further read that they came across certain call recordings which indicated that some individuals were making malicious demands. “However, we recently came across evidence — including call recordings — indicating that a few individuals were demanding money and threatening to malign the reputation of our films, directors, and lead actors if their demands were not met. We believe such behaviour warrants investigation by the appropriate authorities. Accordingly, we have referred the matter to the relevant investigative agencies for lawful action.”
They ended the statement by saying, “We wish to emphasize that these actions are directed solely at those engaging in such malicious practices and not at any genuine, independent reviewers or YouTubers. We value honest work and wholeheartedly welcome their contributions to the healthy progress of the film industry.”
The statement was signed under their legal advisor, Adv Ravi Suryawanshi, Managing Partner, Bar & Brief Attorneys.
The latest film release of the production house was the actioner, Baaghi 4, which was released in theatres on September 5. Earlier this year, another film backed by the banner, Housefull 5 came out. While both the movies received negative reviews at large, Housefull 5 did a business of over Rs 183 crore and Baaghi 4, which is still running in theatres, has made just Rs 50 crore in 11 days since it released.
