While Jigra may not have set the box office on fire, sparks were ignited elsewhere regarding the film. Filmmaker and actress Divya Khossla took to Instagram to post a picture of an empty theatre screening Jigra, accusing the film, particularly its lead actress Alia Bhatt, of inflating box office collections when theatres were running empty. In response, Karan Johar, Jigra's producer, posted on Instagram, stating, "Keeping quiet is the best answer for fools." Khosla then responded with her own post, declaring, "The truth provokes fools." Divya Khossla Kumar Slams Alia Bhatt for Faking ‘Jigra’ Box Office Collections, Shares Photo of Empty Theatre and Writes, ‘We Should Not Fool the Audience’.

However, it was another Instagram post by Khossla that truly gave us the reason for this controversy to begin with. In this post, she wrote, "When things are shamelessly stolen and claimed by others, they can only escape by staying silent. Such people have no voice, no backbone." This was her indirect accusation that the makers of Jigra had lifted the plot of her film, Savi, which had been released earlier on May 31, 2024.

But does this accusation hold any weight? Is Jigra a copy of Savi? It's a bit more complicated, and we first need to understand why this claim arose.

Similarities Between 'Savi' and 'Jigra'

Both Savi and Jigra belong to the same genre of prison break films, and they share similar plotlines. In both films, the protagonist, who is outside the prison, drives the plot and orchestrates the escape plan to help their loved one, who is imprisoned abroad on false charges. In Savi, the titular protagonist, a housewife, has to rescue her husband (Harshvardhan Rane) from a UK prison, where he has been falsely accused of murder. In Jigra, it’s a sister who ventures into a fictional country to rescue her younger brother (Vedang Raina), who has been wrongfully imprisoned for drug use. And yes (SPOILER ALERT), both characters ultimately achieve their goals. ‘Jigra’ Box Office Verdict – Hit or Flop: 5 Reasons Why Alia Bhatt’s Prison-Break Thriller Had a Tepid Opening Weekend.

Yet, 'Jigra' is Not a Copy of 'Savi'

That’s where the similarities end. The screenplays of the two films are entirely different, as is their inspiration. Jigra is said to be loosely inspired by the 1993 film Gumrah, directed by Mahesh Bhatt, Alia Bhatt’s father. Starring Sanjay Dutt and the late Sridevi, Gumrah was produced by Dharma Productions, then headed by Yash Johar, Karan Johar’s father. Though a pulpy thriller, Gumrah didn’t fare well at the box office and was itself a loose remake of the Australian miniseries Bangkok Hilton. ‘Jigra’ Movie Review: Alia Bhatt’s Committed Performance Helps Vasan Bala’s Prison-Break Thriller Sail Through Its Hiccups.

Watch the Trailer of 'Jigra':

On the other hand, Savi is an official remake of the 2008 French film Anything for Her, which was later adapted into Hollywood’s 2010 The Next Three Days, starring Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks. Directed by Abhinay Deo, Savi is based on a screenplay by Parveez Shaikh and Aseem Arora, and was co-produced by Vishesh Films and T-Series, headed by Bhushan Kumar, Divya Khosla’s husband. Vishesh Films is run by Mukesh Bhatt, Alia Bhatt’s uncle.

Watch the Trailer of 'Savi':

Jigra's protagonist is also written quite differently compared to Savi's. Jigra’s Satya is portrayed as confident and spirited, in contrast to Savi, who is a determined learner, showing grit yet fear and apprehension, which suits her character. Even the methods used in the escape plans and the allies involved differ. In Savi, the protagonist seeks the help of a former escape artist turned author, played by Anil Kapoor. Meanwhile, in Jigra, Satya teams up with a former gangster and an ex-cop, played by Manoj Pahwa and Rahul Ravindran, respectively, whose family members are also imprisoned in the same jail as her brother. So, while both films may share a similar plot framework, their screenplays and treatments are distinct. Savi Movie Review: Anil Kapoor Swoops In to Save the Day in Divya Khossla’s Flat Prison-Break Thriller.

So, Why is the Lead Actress of 'Savi' Angry with 'Jigra'?

While there’s no clear answer, a negative campaign against Jigra has been ongoing since its teaser was released, with claims that it’s a copy of Savi. It's akin to saying that Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video is a copy of the Malayalam film Nunakkuzhi simply because both revolve around a protagonist trying to retrieve a misplaced sex tape (both movies also came out in 2024). But beyond this shared plot element, both films are markedly different, much like Savi and Jigra. A more interesting question might be what Mukesh Bhatt thinks of this controversy and why he was seemingly unaware that his niece was starring in a film with a similar premise to the one he was producing.

Savi, which was released in May, struggled at the box office, grossing INR 7.97 crore in India. However, it found a better audience after its Netflix release. In comparison, Jigra, which was released on October 11, earned INR 16.64 crore in its first three days. While this may still be considered an underperformance for a film starring Alia Bhatt and produced by Karan Johar, Jigra has already earned more than double Savi's lifetime domestic earnings. Unless, of course, you’re on Divya Khosla’s team and believe that Jigra's collections are inflated. But in terms of inflated box office numbers, can any Bollywood producer cast stones when they themselves have been accused of the same practice (like T-Series with Animal)?

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 14, 2024 07:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).