Chiranjeevi's 'Mana Shankara...': Ratings, reviews blocked on BookMyShow
What's the story
In a bid to combat fake low ratings on BookMyShow (BMS), the makers of Chiranjeevi's upcoming film Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu have taken a significant step. The producers approached the court and successfully obtained a stay order to block ratings and reviews on ticket booking platforms, including BMS, reported M9News. This move comes as a response to concerns over potential online attacks that could harm the film's box office performance.
Court order
'Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu' ratings disabled on BMS
The BMS page for Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu has confirmed that ratings and reviews have been disabled. The platform's message reads, "Ratings & Reviews disabled as per court order." The film, directed by Anil Ravipudi and co-starring Nayanthara, is set to release on January 12. It is a family entertainer with a runtime of 2 hours and 44 minutes. Previously, several movies, including those starring top Telugu actors, have faced fake low ratings due to bots or rival groups.
History
Previous instances of rating manipulation on BMS
Director Hemanth Madhukar welcomed the development. Deccan Chronicle quoted him as saying, "Telugu films have suffered due to unknown individuals from various locations posting extremely poor ratings and one-word negative comments." "Right now, such reviews have been stopped on BookMyShow. This legal shield should be extended to social media platforms as well." To recall, in December 2025, BMS had disabled ratings and reviews for Darshan Thoogudeepa's Kannada film The Devil after a similar court order.
Public response
Audience reactions to ratings block on BMS
The news of the ratings and reviews being blocked on BMS has sparked mixed reactions among audiences. Some Reddit users expressed skepticism, with one commenting, "Imagine being so insecure, you disable consumer ratings for your product." Another user suggested that instead of blocking all reviews, better algorithms and laws should be used to stop bots from paying for fake reviews. Coming back to the film, the comedy-drama also features a cameo by Venkatesh and is among the year's biggest films.