Bollywood's Fake Reviews Hurt Ticket Sales

Bollywood, India's massive film industry, is experiencing a significant credibility crisis driven by manipulated reviews and inflated box office figures. Insiders report that critics and influencers are often paid to provide favorable, or unfavorable, reviews, distorting public perception of film quality and directly impacting ticket sales.

Audiences have become highly skeptical of early positive reviews, leading them to wait for word-of-mouth or verified reports. This hesitancy results in a major dip in opening weekend ticket sales, as consumers are hesitant to trust manipulated numbers. Producers are also allegedly engaged in practices like bulk-buying tickets to artificially inflate first-week box office collections.

This erosion of trust poses a bleak outlook for Bollywood's future. Experts warn that falsifying data has lasting consequences, affecting star salaries and limiting opportunities for new talent. While streaming platforms are demanding audited figures, the practice of manipulating reviews and sales is expected to continue until producers cease inflating numbers.