Vasan Bala directed Jigra, a prison-break thriller set in a fictional country called Hanshi Dao, with Alia Bhatt in the lead role. The film is produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and features a supporting cast that includes Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Vivek Gomber, Ankur Khanna, and Rahul Ravindran. Jigra is loosely inspired by Gumrah, the 1993 thriller directed by Alia’s father, Mahesh Bhatt, which starred Sanjay Dutt, the late Sridevi, and Rahul Roy. 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’.

Released in theatres on October 11, Jigra clashed with Raaj Shaandilyaa's comedy Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, which stars Rajkummar Rao, Triptii Dimri, and Mallika Sherawat. In its first weekend, Jigra netted INR 16.64 crore, a relatively underwhelming performance considering it features a major star like Alia Bhatt and is backed by a prominent banner like Dharma Productions.

'Jigra' Box Office Update

Can Jigra make a comeback and turn out to be a theatrical success? Let's not keep our hopes high on this.

The Budget of 'Jigra'

Reports suggest that the prison-break thriller was made on a budget of INR 90 crore. So far, the movie has grossed INR 25.03 crore worldwide in three days, which is a slow start. There is concern over whether it will be able to recover its costs solely through its theatrical release.

Why 'Jigra' Struggled to Take a Strong Box Office Lead

Several factors undermined Jigra's box office performance during its opening weekend.

1. Lack of Strong Pre-Release Hype

A Still From Jigra

While the trailer was well-received, Jigra failed to generate strong pre-release buzz. The songs didn’t manage to create much excitement, and the attempt to promote the film in the South also fell flat. Despite the support of stars like Ram Charan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, the movie didn’t perform well in its dubbed Telugu and Tamil versions. The promotional efforts in the North were also lacking, beyond an appearance on The Kapil Sharma Show.

2. Female-Led Action Films Struggle to Pull in Crowds

A Still From Jigra

In Bollywood, female-led action films often face challenges at the box office unless they are backed by strong nationalist themes or larger-than-life elements. Jigra lacked these, making it difficult to attract a wide audience initially. Such films typically rely on positive word-of-mouth and strong reviews to build momentum. Unfortunately...

3. Mixed Reviews

A Still From Jigra

While LatestLY had a softer view of Jigra in our review, with us liking Alia Bhatt's performance and Vasan Bala's general direction, the film received generally mixed reviews. Some praised it, while others found it underwhelming. As a film with a more urban appeal and a less conventional storyline, Jigra needed stronger critical support to draw in audiences. Even the audience response was similarly lukewarm.

4. Clash with 'Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video'

A Still From Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video

It was evident that Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video would have an edge in this box office clash. As a comedy entertainer starring Rajkummar Rao, who is fresh off the success of Stree 2, and Triptii Dimri still basking under Animal spotlight, it had broader appeal. Audiences tend to prefer light-hearted comedies over serious dramas, and this clash proved no different. Though Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video also had an average first weekend, netting INR 19.17 crore in India, it still fared better than Jigra. From ‘Jigra’ Onwards, Dharma Productions To Not Hold Press Screenings Before Release Day for THIS Reason.

5. A Negative Perception?

Alia Bhatt With Karan Johar

There seems to be a negative campaign surrounding Jigra, particularly involving its star Alia Bhatt and producer Karan Johar that was persistent from the beginning. A notable incident involved Vasan Bala’s comment in a promotional interview, where he mentioned Karan Johar sending an early draft to Alia before the script was fully developed. Although the team later clarified this statement, the controversy created a negative perception that didn't dim down. It added to the sense that things were not entirely smooth behind the scenes of Jigra. Not to mention, the decision by Dharma Productions to not have press shows for their movie releases right before Jigra came out also added to the lack of public confidence in the movie.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 14, 2024 06:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).