On social media, the pattern is often predictable when a prominent Kannada film hits the screens: a bunch of posts flood X (formerly Twitter), describing how good the movie is. The stock phrases range from “Kannada cinema goes to the next level” to “epic climax”. Insiders to the industry identify these as markers of the disturbing trend of “paid reviews”.

Influencer culture is making its presence felt in the film industry, and campaigns are meticulously planned. The film team decides what goes out, down to every word, in a WhatsApp group. The public relations (PR) team then identifies a bunch of X users with a decent number of subscribers and pays them to share tweets favouring the movie, say insiders of the industry. The same goes for Instagram promotions, where people identifying as “film reviewers” and “experts” provide reviews for a price.

A PR official, on condition of anonymity, told The Hindu that paid reviews and posts are seen as yet another marketing technique. “It is like a new restaurant or a dish. A critic may not prefer it, but a section of the audience will be interested to try them out. Continuous tweets, posts, and videos are meant to reach those people, so that they can go check out the movie.”

This approach to marketing is increasingly being called out by cinephiles who crave objective reviews. “You see 10–20 posts with similar wording. It’s easy to guess that the reviews aren’t genuine,” says S.S. Ravikumar, an upcoming filmmaker active on social media.

But these “orchestrated reviews” do not always work, says Pavithra Gowda, co-founder of the PR agency Pink Tickets. “A film can only sustain and win at the box office if its content resonates with the audience.” In the long run, paid reviews will affect an artist’s or a filmmaker’s reputation when the movie eventually fails to connect with the audience.

Taking a different route for promotion, the Raj B. Shetty-produced Su From So, one of the biggest hits of 2025, had paid-premiere shows in four-five cities of Karnataka before it hit the screens worldwide. The idea, as explained by Raj, was to skip the routine route of press conferences, interviews, and trailer-launch events, and take the film directly to people.

The formula worked, as organic word-of-mouth spread like wildfire. However, several films that followed the Su From So model tried to manipulate it. They created plenty of videos showing rapturous responses at the premiere shows, with paid and non-paid influencers forming part of the crowd. It was clear that the film teams were desperate to project that the movie had impressed fans. “The response can be confusing, making the audience lose the ability to distinguish between a paid promotion, personal opinion, and an honest review,” admitted a PR industry insider.

S. Shivakumar, veteran film critic and writer, says that paid reviews were not an uncommon phenomenon in the pre-social media era either, though they have changed form and reach now. “Of course, some accepted, and some didn’t,” he says.

A PR’s job is not simply about blindly pushing a movie, says Harish Arasu, founder of PR company Arasu Creations. “There will be many small-scale movies with great content. The producers won’t have the budget to market the movies,” he says, underlining the need to find novel ways to reach a wide audience. Negative campaigns also hurt the prospects of movies, he adds.

Kairam Vaashi, film critic, concurs that paid negative campaigns are equally dangerous. “They choke a movie before it gets a chance to blossom in its first week,” he says.

With the Kannada audience showing great reluctance to come to theatres except on rare occasions, the film industry is exploring every possible way to catch their attention. However, with paid reviews becoming more prevalent, the industry will have to look at other creative means to draw people to movies, especially as word-of-mouth is slowly becoming the deciding factor in a movie’s fate.

Veteran Kannada filmmaker Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar opens up on his upcoming movie ‘America America 2’, a spiritual sequel to his 1997 blockbuster. He talks about why the film is relevant in today’s times and goes back memory lane, talking about why ‘America America’ became a classic after a slow start and rejections from media. The latest film, starring Prithvi Ambaar, Nirup Bhandari and Shanvi Srivastava releases on September 11.

Reporting: Vivek MV

Video & Editing: Ravichandran N

Yash is known for his larger-than-life screen presence and superstar charisma, but beneath the stardom lies a performer with considerable acting chops. With Toxic, can Yash push beyond the familiar swagger and tap into a more nuanced, layered side of his craft? This video looks at Yash the actor — his strengths, his evolution, and why Toxic could be an opportunity to put the performer, rather than just the superstar, firmly in the spotlight.

Reporting: Vivek MV

Video & Editing: Ravichandran N

The melodic gem Naguva Nayana from Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983) depicts the charm of old Bengaluru and finds a special place in the hearts of those who grew up in the city before its rapid transformation. S. Janaki’s graceful rendering and her striking chemistry with S.P. Balasubrahmanyam create a nostalgic comfort hard to beat.

The song is a reminder of the legacy Janaki, who passed away in Mysuru on Saturday (July 11), leaves behind. With the passing of the playback singing great at 88, a vital chapter in the history of Kannada cinema comes to an end.

“She displayed extraordinary talent in singing songs across genres,” director Yogaraj Bhat told The Hindu. He added, “She used to be addressed as ‘amma’ by everyone, and today, with her death, it feels like we have heard the last line of her lullaby. However, her music is eternal.”

Among the tributes that poured in from the Kannada music and film fraternities, one sentiment stood out: her extraordinary versatility. When Kannada cinema music witnessed the birth of youthful romantic music with Premaloka (1987), Janaki was at the forefront. Her expression of love in the song Idu Nanna Ninna Prema Geethe Chinna was marked by youthful energy.

Music composer Gurukiran calls her “the queen of South Indian music”. “She was Ilaiyaraaja’s favourite. It’s a commendable achievement, because Ilaiyaraaja is a meticulous perfectionist. Those days, there was no process of pitch correction. So, to maintain such a high quality is proof of her talent. We were lucky to be born in her era,” he says.

Part of Kannada culture

With the song Jotheyali from Geetha (1981), Janaki became an inseparable part of Kannada culture. The song, buoyed by Janaki’s heartfelt rendering, is a hit at any festival celebrating the State and the language.

“She is a great role model for the next generation of playback singers,” says lyricist V. Nagendra Prasad, who notes, “Despite not being a Kannadiga, she learnt the language. She had the ability to provide the right expression for the lyrics. She was also blessed with great texture, helping her sing several children’s songs.” Songs such as A Aa E Ee Kannadada Aksharamale, Sihimuttu, Sihimuttu Innondu were among the songs she rendered in the voice of a child.

Composer R.P. Patnaik was surprised by one of her unique abilities. “You wouldn’t see any expression on her face when she sang. Any expression, including mimicry, emerged from her throat,” he explains.

Retro hits

Kannada retro hits have a strong presence of Janaki, says film historian K. Puttaswamy. “Her song Gaaligopura Ninnashatheera from Nanda Deepa (1962), Yaava Janmada Maithri from Gowri, and Bhuvaneshwariya from Mareyada Haadu were some of her solo classics.”

Janaki lent her voice to iconic songs for every renowned music composer in Kannada cinema. If it is Gaganavu Ello for Vijay Bhaskar in Puttanna Kanagal’s Gejje Pooje (1969), then it is A Aa E Ee Kannadada for Ranga Rao in the movie Karulina Kare (1970). Under the composition of the celebrated duo Rajan-Nagendra, one of Janaki’s memorable songs is Ellu Hogalla from Gandhada Gudi (1973).

For the legendary G.K. Venkatesh, Janaki’s evergreen number is Malenaada Henna in the classic Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu (1974). Ee Bandhana — M. Ranga Rao’s composition — is a love anthem from Janaki for the romantic tragedy Bandhana (1984). The song features K.J. Yesudas, who shared a long and successful musical partnership with Janaki.

Even the great Janaki was also challenged, he recollects. “She had confessed in a reality show that Shiva Shiva Ennada from S. Siddalingaiah’s Hemavathi (1977) was one of her toughest renditions she had ever sung.”

‘KD: The Devil’, starring Dhruva Sarja, produced by KVN Productions and directed by Prem, was one of the anticipated movies from the Kannada film industry. After the gangster drama hit the screens on April 30, 2026, ‘KD’ has drawn polarising reactions from the audience. While Dhruva Sarja fans are thrilled by their favourite star’s performance, others are calling it a passable movie. This video essay looks at how the film is troubled by formula, right from the making to its promotional strategies.

Reporting: Vivek MV

Video & Editing: Ravichandran N