
Tanu Weds Manu Returns has everything going for it. It had the second biggest box-office opening of 2015, Kangana Ranaut is pegged to win each and every award (again) and it’s got that rare distinction of being a better movie than its prequel. The reviews for the movie were also by and large positive (check out MissMalini‘s 10 reasons to watch this movie right away), but this, by no way means that a reviewer’s right to express his opinion (in his own review, no less) can be overturned. Sadly, Mumbai Mirror did just that. The tabloid ‘upgraded’ the 2.5 stars its reviewer Rahul Desai gave it to 3.5 stars. The paper justified this by saying that readers’ reaction to the review compelled them to revise the rating, but Twitter thinks that this clarification has infringed upon the reviewer’s freedom of speech. Check out some of the tweets that made Mumbai Mirror a trending topic.
1) Jahan Bakshi got Bhai involved.
“Hey yesterday we reported that Salman has been sentenced but reader feedback differs from the verdict so BRB guyz” – Mumbai Mirror
— JSB. (@jahanbakshi) May 25, 2015
2) Karthik Srinivasan was pissed off.
Really, Mumbai Mirror? You decide your critic’s ‘stars’ based ‘reader feedback & research’? He can’t have an opinion? pic.twitter.com/Ywhje2rQZA — Karthik Srinivasan (@beastoftraal) May 25, 2015
3) And so was Gayatri Jayaraman.
returned my copy of #MumbaiMirror to newspaper guy this morning in protest at discrediting Rahul Desai. wont achieve much but my token in.
— Gayatri Jayaraman (@Gayatri__J) May 26, 2015
4) Varun Grover gave the movie title a new spin.
Stupidity weds conformity returns. pic.twitter.com/EbAjRBuHHc (via @deemelinda) — वरुण (@varungrover) May 25, 2015
5) And Rega Jha reacted the way I did (that’s why she’s amazing).
LOLOLOL RT “@daddy_san: HAHAHAHA oh Mumbai Mirror pic.twitter.com/JwU5sQaFDG”
— Rega Jha (@RegaJha) May 25, 2015
6) Anupama Chopra, being a noted film critic herself was extremely disappointed.
I still can’t get over this. What a sad, sad day for film criticism. #MumbaiMirror pic.twitter.com/J3hoDzxzbO — Anupama Chopra (@anupamachopra) May 26, 2015
7) Bhai was involved again (is anything even complete without a Salman Khan reference?).
Mumbai Mirror revised rating of Tanu Weds Manu Returns after reader feedback. They should give Bajrangi Bhaijaan 5 stars already then.
— Gappistan Radio (@GappistanRadio) May 25, 2015
8) More wordplay on the movie title!
Mumbai Mirror returns . . . . . . . . . . . to revise its critic’s rating of a movie — Avinash Iyer (@IyerAvin) May 25, 2015
9) And Apurva let sarcasm do the talking.
A new high in journalism?? #Bollywoodfilm #ratingrevised pic.twitter.com/Lpcs4TjAsg
— Apurva (@Apurvasrani) May 25, 2015
10) This decision by Mumbai Mirror received flak from an international critic as well.
This is the worst precedent in the history of film journalism. (via @chhabs) pic.twitter.com/ZpAn4UGc8a — Scott Jordan Harris (@ScottFilmCritic) May 25, 2015
Thoughts?