Hindi cinema’s samosa mafia

SOME years ago, one of India’s most famous Bollywood critics approached Eastern Eye offering to write reviews for free.

Despite the journalist's long track record, the offer was declined due to his notorious reputation for writing fake positive reviews in exchange for bribes from producers, even for terrible films.  

Essentially, he was seeking another platform to spread false praise, but the UK’s leading south Asian publication refused.  

This individual, with another high-profile ‘journalist’ based in India, played a key role in kickstarting the trend of fake Bollywood film reviews.  

They inspired other corrupt Hindi cinema reviewers in India to follow their dishonest path, spreading misinformation about films. 

 This led to the coining of the term ‘samosa critics,’ referring to those willing to lie and compromise their principles for a plate of samosas.  

The rise of social media, which allowed everyday individuals to gain influence, further fuelled the growth of these ‘samosa critics,’ many of whom leveraged their large followings to spread fake information in exchange for money. Film producers, keen to exploit their corruptibility, began paying for positive reviews, and Bollywood PR agents in India allocated part of their marketing budgets to bribe these critics into promoting bad films. 

 The size of a critic’s platform or social media following determined how much they were paid for the false information. 

 This unethical practice soon spilled over into these ‘samosa critics’ falsely painting box office flops as massive hits on social media, primarily to help producers secure better deals with streaming platforms and future financiers. 

 Despite Bollywood often presenting itself as one big family, high-profile members of the industry, including stars, have weaponised these corrupt journalists to launch hate campaigns against rivals. 

 This has included spreading negativity about south Indian stars, who have recently dominated Indian cinema, as well as about fellow Bollywood colleagues who are supposed to be friends. 

 Some critics have even taken bribes to discredit excellent films simply because they weren’t paid or were bribed to tarnish a competitor’s release. 

 This corruption has backfired on Hindi film producers, as some critics have begun blackmailing them, demanding higher fees for fake reviews. 

 Those who refuse to pay the bribes risk facing hate campaigns against their films. These critics often prepare negative reviews without watching the movie. 

 In the UK, such corruption is impossible due to strict press and media regulations, which make it illegal to accept payments for fake reviews, and any advertising in editorial or social media posts must be clearly disclosed.  

However, the lack of regulation in India has turned its media landscape into a lawless space, where fake news and reviews are rampant.

 Despite their efforts, these so-called social media influencers have been unable to save bad films, as evidenced by the high number of Bollywood failures.

 Ultimately, the money spent on these corrupt ‘samosa critics,’ who continue to spread lies in exchange for payments, is wasted. They have become a harmful presence, damaging the integrity of Indian cinema.

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