“Cash for reviews?” Producer Dhananjayan calls out paid YouTubers, criticizes digital journalism

The recent episode of a television show sparked a heated discussion about the ethics of film reviewing in Kollywood, especially on digital platforms. Several industry insiders made bold statements regarding the growing trend of YouTubers demanding payment for reviewing films.

He confirmed that many content creators expect monetary compensation to feature or critique movies, particularly those made with lower budgets.Small films sidelined, big budgets targetedDhananjayan, who was part of the television show, continued to speak about the issue through his social media page. According to Dhananjayan, small-budget films rarely receive attention from YouTube reviewers as they are unlikely to generate high viewership.

"Reviewers focus only on big-budget films because those bring in more views. Before reviewing, some even approach producers expecting money," he claimed. This, he argued, skews the visibility and fair reception of smaller films, further challenging their survival in the competitive industry.“₹15K to ₹25K for a review,” alleges DhananjayanHe went on to reveal that several YouTubers allegedly demand anywhere between ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 to review a film.

“They glorify small films if they are paid but attack big-budget films if they refuse to offer money,” Dhananjayan added. He didn’t mince words when he said, “This kind of behavior is nothing short of betrayal to the cinema industry,” underlining the damage such biased reviewing can cause to a film’s reception and credibility.

Integrity lost in the race for fameDhananjayan also influenced the lack of integrity in the evaluation of some critics, who get notorious by commenting on films. He expressed concern about the lack of honest criticism in the current film review ecosystem, saying, "Once they become popular, their reviews are no longer honest." His comments have discussed intensively, criticized the status of digital film journalism today and demanded more openness and moral principles in the review culture.