Director Vasan Bala takes responsibility for ‘Jigra’ box-office failure starring Alia Bhatt

The director admitted that he felt he had let down producers Karan Johar and Alia Bhatt

Director Vasan Bala has taken responsibility for the disappointing box-office performance of Jigra, a thriller-drama starring Alia Bhatt and Vedang Raina.

In a recent interview, Vasan Bala expressed his belief that the film’s underperformance was a result of something that failed to resonate with audiences. The film, released on October 11, 2024, collected $2.64 million in its first week despite facing no major competition at the box office.

Speaking to Indian media,Vasan Bala reflected on Jigra’s reception and acknowledged that the film, being Alia Bhatt’s “lowest box-office opener,” fell short of expectations.

“Something has happened where people stayed away, something they didn’t feel the need to come to the theater for,” he said, emphasising that it is the responsibility of the filmmaker to deliver at the box office.Vasan Bala highlighted that Alia Bhatt had trusted him by choosing the project, and he felt personally accountable for not meeting that trust.

In a previous interview with The Hollywood Reporter,Vasan Bala expressed his surprise at the film’s failure, noting that Jigra was intended to be an accessible, universally emotional film. He admitted that he felt he had let down producers Karan Johar and Alia Bhatt.

Facing criticism online,Vasan Bala deactivated his X account after being labelled ‘arrogant’ by internet users for defending his film instead of fully accepting its failure.

Jigra, produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Alia Bhatt’s Eternal Sunshine Productions, follows the story of two orphans. Alia Bhatt plays Satya, a protective sister who goes to great lengths to save her brother, Ankur, from a life sentence in a foreign country.

Despite its strong cast and production backing, the film struggled to draw audiences to cinemas.