Moviegoers booking tickets for O’ Romeo online recently encountered an unusual message on the film’s page – “Ratings & Reviews disabled as per court order.” The notice appears where audience ratings and public reviews are normally displayed, prompting many cinegoers to wonder what led to such a step. According to industry reports, the makers of O’ Romeo, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, approached a court seeking intervention against what they described as organised negative campaigns and coordinated review-bombing.
The concern reportedly was that a wave of online ratings and comments — allegedly posted in a structured or automated manner — could damage the film’s reputation and influence its box office prospects during its crucial opening phase. Following the plea, the court granted an order directing the platform to disable the ratings and reviews section for the film.
As a result, the numerical audience score is no longer visible and users cannot post or read public reviews on the platform for this title. However, ticket bookings remain unaffected, and the film continues to screen as scheduled. The move appears to be an interim legal measure rather than a permanent removal, although the exact duration of the order has not been publicly detailed.
The issue has sparked debate within the film community and among audiences. Supporters of the decision argue that review manipulation and organised trolling can unfairly impact a film’s commercial performance, especially in the first few days of release when word-of-mouth plays a significant role. They maintain that judicial intervention in such cases can prevent reputational and financial harm. Critics, on the other hand, believe that disabling audience feedback restricts genuine viewers from sharing honest opinions and raises concerns about transparency. They point out that while one platform may disable reviews, opinions about the film continue to circulate across social media and other entertainment portals.
This is not the first instance of ratings being disabled following a legal directive. Similar steps have reportedly been taken in the past for certain regional releases after court orders were obtained by filmmakers citing concerns over coordinated negative campaigns. Such cases highlight the growing influence of digital platforms on a film’s perception and the increasing legal complexities surrounding online audience engagement.
For now, viewers looking to gauge public response to O’ Romeo will need to rely on critic reviews, social media discussions, and personal recommendations rather than platform’s rating meter. The development once again brings into focus the evolving relationship between cinema, digital feedback, and the law in an era where online opinion can significantly shape a film’s destiny within hours of its release.
