'Nepotism, Fake Box Office, Unprofessionalism': Allegations Against Alia Bhatt's Jigra Explained

Jigra, starring Alia Bhatt and Vedang Raina, was anticipated for its compelling storyline. However, its release has been marred by a series of controversies that have grabbed the attention of audiences and ignited heated discussions online. From accusations of inflated box office numbers to claims of unprofessional behaviour and the cancellation of press screenings, the film’s journey from script to the big screen has been anything but smooth. As Jigra struggles to find its footing at the box office, here’s a breakdown of the unfolding drama.

Nepotism Allegations

In a recent interview with Tried&Refused Productions, director Vasan Bala expressed his dissatisfaction with Jigra co-producer Karan Johar for forwarding an unfinished draft of Jigra to Alia Bhatt without proper revisions. Vasan recalled, “I had sent one very kaccha pakka (roughly drafted) email to Karan and 6-7 hours later, he called saying that I have already sent it to Alia and I was really not happy with it… I asked Karan ‘Why did you do this?’ He said ‘No, no this is how it works. Then he said we’ll meet in a couple of days.” Alia also had mentioned that she liked Jigra’s script from the first half itself.

The video in question fuelled speculation of nepotism in the film industry, with many interpreting it as Alia being favoured by Karan Johar over other talents. There was another post about Alia’s frequent collaborations with Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions that went insanely viral on Reddit. The post pointed out that out of the 20 films in her career, 15 have been produced or co-produced by Karan’s banner.

However, Vasan later clarified on Instagram that he always wanted to work with Alia, posting a side-by-side image showing his initial wish in 2022 alongside a photo from 2024, stating, “Wish fulfilled!” Karan also issued a clarification on the controversy on his Instagram account. He wrote, “The grave misinterpretation of his comment about me sending the script to Alia without his grammar checks made me laugh initially at the ludicrousness of it all but now is truly annoying me.” He added, “I fold my hands and tell everyone please hear and read entire interviews before making click bait assumptions.”

Karan Johar Halts Pre-Release Media Screenings

Shortly before Jigra’s release, Dharma Productions announced a decision to cancel pre-release press screenings. In their statement, they mentioned, “After much deliberation, we’ve unanimously decided to forgo pre-release screenings for our upcoming films.” A source from Dharma Productions informed IE that the decision was made to subtly address corruption among certain film critics, noting that press screenings often lead to financial dealings aimed at manipulating reviews. Additionally, a well-known filmmaker revealed that influencers posing as critics charge between Rs 15,000 and Rs 60,000 for favourable reviews. The same Dharma insider mentioned that it is also possible to orchestrate negative reviews.

Divya Khossla Kumar’s Accusations of Rigging Box Office Numbers

Divya Khossla Kumar accused Alia Bhatt of inflating the box office numbers of Jigra. She shared a picture of an empty theatre on Instagram, writing, “#Aliabhatt mein sach mein Bahut #Jigra hai.. khud hi tickets kharide aur fake collections announce kar diye.” Her claims ignited a social media firestorm, prompting Karan to respond with, “Silence is the best speech you will ever give to fools.” Divya countered, asserting, “Truth will always offend fools opposed to it.” Her post comes after chatter around the similarities between Divya’s film Savi and Jigra. Savi, starring Harshvardhan Rane and Anil Kapoor, is about a housewife trying to break her husband out of a prison in England. In Jigra, Alia Bhatt’s character plans a jailbreak to rescue her brother from prison.

Kangana Ranaut’s Cryptic Remarks

Kangana Ranaut, known for her outspoken critiques of nepotism in Bollywood, also weighed in, posting a cryptic message: “When you destroy women-centric films and make sure that they don’t work, they don’t work, even when you make them.” While she did not name anyone, the message resonated with the ongoing discussion surrounding Jigra.

Poor Box Office Performance

Despite the controversies, Jigra has faced a dismal box office performance, earning only Rs 1.50 crore on its fourth day, bringing its total to Rs 18.10 crore. This is the worst opening for an Alia film since 2014, leading many to question its viability in theatres. In comparison, her previous solo hits Raazi and Gangubai Kathiawadi garnered significantly higher opening day collections, between Rs 7.5 crore and Rs 10.5 crore.

Bijou Thaangjam’s Fresh Allegations

Adding to the controversies, Manipur-based actor Bijou Thaangjam publicly accused the makers of Jigra of “unprofessional behaviour.” He lamented being left in the dark after being considered for a role, stating, “The way they handled this entire situation was deeply unprofessional. My time was wasted… it felt particularly dismissive.”

About Jigra’s Storyline

Jigra centers on Alia’s character, Satya, who goes to great lengths to free her brother, Ankur (Vedang), from prison and death row. Produced by Dharma Productions, the film aims to explore familial bonds and sacrifice but has been mired in controversies that overshadow its narrative and message.