Jigra, the action-thriller directed by Vasan Bala and headlined by Alia Bhatt, has faced a difficult start at the box office despite receiving mixed-to-positive reviews. In its first week, the film has struggled to attract significant audiences, earning an estimated ₹22.45 crore in domestic collections, far below expectations. Given its reported budget of ₹90 crore, Jigra is at risk of becoming Alia Bhatt’s biggest box office flop.
A series of controversies surrounding the film’s release may have contributed to its underwhelming performance. The first issue arose when it was rumored that producer Karan Johar had cast Alia Bhatt in the lead without the consent of director Vasan Bala. Both Karan and Vasan later clarified that Alia was Vasan’s intended choice from the beginning. However, the initial confusion may have fueled negative sentiment.
Jigra Box Collection Day 6: Alia Bhatt’s film collects ₹1.25
Further fueling the controversy, actress-producer Divya Khosla Kumar accused the makers of inflating box office figures, leading to a public spat between her and Karan Johar. The exchange of indirect barbs on social media escalated, with Karan posting a cryptic message about “silence” being the best response to “fools,” and Divya responding by saying, “Truth will always offend fools opposed to it.”
Another significant issue arose when Manipur-based actor Bijou Thaangjam accused the casting team of discrimination against Northeast Indian actors. Bijou claimed he was initially approached for the film but never received a follow-up. After he criticized the casting process, he allegedly faced racist remarks from some Alia Bhatt fans. This controversy stirred conversations about representation and racism in the Indian film industry, possibly contributing to the film’s negative press.
Despite the star power of Alia Bhatt and the talents of the supporting cast, including Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Vivek Gomber, and Rahul Ravindran, Jigra has been unable to overcome these setbacks. The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether the film can recover at the box office, but as of now, it faces an uphill battle in recouping its budget.
