Karan Johar's Dharma Productions bans pre-release screenings, citing need for authentic audience experience

Dharma Productions has declared that it will not be hosting pre-release press screenings for its upcoming films. Pre-release press screenings are when a film is screened to reviewers a day or two before its official release. In the film industry, pre-release screenings have long been a tradition.

Although the Karan Johar-led production company justified the action as a "necessary step" to preserve the thrill of watching a movie, the policy was probably set in motion by unfavorable reports, extortion, and purchased reviews.

The study claims that the company has accepted paid reviews up to ₹60,000 per tweet, which has caused a serious problem in Bollywood's credibility. Pre-show cancellations can really assist in reducing "review management."

According to a reputed director who has directed high-profile films, the industry has a predetermined "rate card" for purchasing both favorable and unfavorable reviews from influencers who pose as "critics." The tariff card has a range of₹15,000 to₹60,000 per tweet. For multi-star films, actors are expected to cover their own costs.

If a director chooses not to reimburse the critics for their fees, it could result in extortion.

"Media portals, 'journalists,' and so-called trade influencers run negative campaigns as means of extortion if a producer or film team has decided against opting for paid promotion," a top-level image management executive told the publication.

As in the film Kalki 2898 AD, which the producers apparently chose not to compensate media, trade, or influencers for, leading to unfavorable reviews. But word-of-mouth popularity caused the movie to become a huge commercial success, making the "negative campaign" meaningless.

It is also said that Dharma Productions is more interested in getting word-of-mouth advertising from first-day moviegoers than from reviews from reviewers. Yash Raj Films is the only other production company that adheres to the same prohibition against pre-release showings.

Professional reviewers have taken issue with the decision, arguing that it will harm legitimate critics rather than "paid" influencers. A movie critic warned that "more reactionary takes will replace nuanced reviews, which can impact a film."

The CEO of Dharma Productions, Apoorva Mehta, and producer Karan Johar signed the formal statement distributed to the media. Jigra, a drama about a jailbreak starring Alia Bhatt and Vedang Raina, is the first film in the series.