Alia Bhatt's 'Jigra' marks a disappointing box office opening, falling short of past hits like 'Kalank' and 'Shaandaar'

PTC News Desk: Alia Bhatt has established herself as one of the most prominent female stars of her generation in Hindi cinema. Over the past decade, she has not only been part of numerous blockbuster hits but has also proven her ability to lead films with female protagonists to success at the box office.

Given her track record, the underwhelming opening day collection of her latest film, Jigra, has taken many by surprise. Despite speculation from industry insiders regarding the reasons behind this disappointment, the numbers are clear: Jigra has recorded the lowest opening for any film featuring Alia in the last ten years.

Jigra's underwhelming box office start

On its opening day, Jigra, directed by Vasan Bala, garnered only Rs 4.55 crore in India— a significantly low figure for a film starring such a successful actress. For comparison, Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, a quirky comedy starring Rajkummar Rao and Triptii Dimri that also released on the same day, outperformed Jigra with a collection of Rs 5.25 crore.

The action drama's worldwide earnings on its opening day were equally disappointing, totaling Rs 7.45 crore. While the film did see a modest recovery with a 42% increase in earnings on Saturday, bringing in Rs 6.50 crore, this surge may not be sufficient to offset its dismal start.

Alia Bhatt's lowest opening films

Historically, only one film in Alia Bhatt's career had opened below the ₹5 crore mark prior to Jigra, and that was the 2014 film Highway, which debuted at Rs 3.48 crore. Since then, most of her films have consistently opened to at least Rs 7 crore, with the exception of Kapoor & Sons. The disheartening aspect of Jigra's opening is that even Alia's two previous flops, Shaandaar and Kalank, surpassed it, earning Rs 13.10 crore and Rs 21.60 crore, respectively.

Notably, all of Alia’s solo projects without male co-stars have also performed better: Raazi opened at Rs 7.53 crore, Dear Zindagi at Rs 8.75 crore, and Gangubai Kathiawadi achieved a remarkable pandemic-era opening of Rs 10.50 crore. These figures starkly illustrate the lack of buzz surrounding Jigra.

Factors behind Jigra's poor performance

Several factors contribute to Jigra's disappointing box office performance. Firstly, each of Alia's previous successful solo projects featured significant commercial elements. For instance, Gangubai Kathiawadi benefitted from the renowned direction of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, while Dear Zindagi saw a surge in interest thanks to Shah Rukh Khan’s cameo, which was prominently featured in the promotional material.

While some may argue that female-led films are struggling, as noted by Kangana Ranaut in a recent social media post, the recent success of films like Crew contradicts this notion. The issue may lie in Jigra's marketing and execution. As an action film, it lacks the necessary intensity, and its dramatic elements feel shallow.

The film seems to lose focus, reflecting confusion that was evident in its promotional campaign. Viewers were left uncertain about whether Jigra was intended as a slick action thriller or a narrative centered on a brother-sister relationship. The pandemic has taught audiences to be discerning, and they are less willing to engage with films that present mixed messages.

Can Jigra recover at the box office?

Historically, only one of Alia's films has managed to bounce back from a disappointing opening: Raazi, which earned Rs 7.53 crore on its first day but ultimately crossed Rs 50 crore within six days, finishing its run at Rs 124 crore. However, that film benefited from excellent reviews, a luxury Jigra currently lacks. Although there has been a slight upward trend in ticket sales over the weekend, only time and audience reception will reveal whether Jigra can recover from this setback.

As it stands, the future looks uncertain for Alia Bhatt's latest venture, and the industry will be watching closely to see how it unfolds.