The Bollywood sphere is currently abuzz with reactions to the box office performance of Alia Bhatt's "Jigra," with many expressing their opinions on the film's commercial performance. Among those weighing in is Aneet Padda, the rising star of "Saiyaara," who has openly voiced her disappointment.
"Jigra," directed by Vasan Bala, was released in October 2024 and features Alia Bhatt alongside Vedang Raina. The film, an action thriller, had approximately 3,000 showings across India but only managed to earn ₹4.25 crore nett on its opening day, according to Sacnilk. This marked Alia Bhatt's lowest opening since her 2014 film, "Highway". While "Highway" opened with ₹3.4 crore and eventually grossed ₹30 crore in India, "Jigra" struggled to maintain momentum.
"Jigra" faced competition from other releases, including "Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video," starring Rajkummar Rao and Triptii Dimri, which opened slightly higher with ₹5 crore. Notably, "Jigra" was Alia Bhatt's only release in 2024.
Aneet Padda, who has previously expressed admiration for Alia Bhatt, shared her sentiments regarding the film's performance. While specific details of her statement weren't available, reports indicate that she is "heartbroken" over the film's box office results.
Alia Bhatt herself addressed the film's performance, stating that when a film doesn't meet expectations, she channels it into a "new dream" and starts over. She emphasized her passion as an actor and producer. Director Vasan Bala also acknowledged the film's failure, taking responsibility for not delivering box office success and recognizing the need to analyze what went wrong. He expressed concern for actors who invest their time in projects and the importance of making it worthwhile for them. In July 2025, Bala mentioned in an interview that he couldn't buy a house after the film's failure.
Despite the disappointment, Alia Bhatt is moving forward with upcoming projects, including Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Love & War," where she will star alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal, as well as "Alpha," co-starring Sharvari.
The reactions to "Jigra"'s box office performance highlight the unpredictable nature of the film industry and the pressure to succeed commercially. While the film may not have met expectations, Alia Bhatt's response and the support from colleagues like Aneet Padda demonstrate the resilience and camaraderie within Bollywood.
