Director Vasan Bala has broken his silence on the commercial failure of Jigra, a film starring Alia Bhatt and Vedang Raina that revolved around a sibling bond. Despite strong performances and emotional depth, the movie failed to connect with audiences and grossed only ₹56.93 crore worldwide against its ₹80 crore budget.
Speaking to Cyrus Broacha, Bala admitted that the film’s box office performance felt like a “sucker punch” and hit him harder than expected. He confessed that the financial setback was tough to digest, especially while still managing the struggles of living in a rented home.
At the same time, Bala expressed gratitude for the creative journey. He praised Alia Bhatt’s dedication, describing her as “incredible,” and credited the cast and crew for giving him an enriching filmmaking experience, even if the returns didn’t match the effort.
To find motivation, Bala recently spent time on the set of Mani Ratnam’s new project. The experience, he said, reignited his passion for cinema and reminded him why he chose filmmaking in the first place.
Despite the disappointment, Bala is already working on fresh scripts and remains hopeful that his upcoming projects will deliver both creatively and commercially, restoring his reputation in the industry.
