‘Jigra’ delivers Alia's lowest box office launch in 10 years

In recent years, Alia Bhatt has been recognised as one of the most successful actresses of her generation in Hindi cinema. Over her career spanning more than a decade, she has featured in some of the industry's biggest blockbusters while also establishing herself as a box office draw with female-led solo hits. 

This makes the surprisingly low opening day collection of her latest film, "Jigra", all the more unexpected. While industry experts are analysing the reasons behind the underwhelming debut, one undeniable fact stands out — "Jigra" has recorded the lowest opening for an Alia Bhatt film in the past 10 years.

"Jigra", directed by Vasan Bala, had a modest opening day in India, earning just Rs 4.55 crore, a relatively low number. For comparison, "Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video", a quirky comedy featuring Rajkummar Rao and Triptii Dimri, which was released on the same day, outperformed "Jigra" with Rs 5.25 crore. 

Globally, "Jigra's" opening day collection was also underwhelming at Rs 7.45 crore. Although the action drama saw a 42% boost in earnings on Saturday, reaching Rs 6.50 crore, the improvement may not be enough to offset its weak start.

Before "Jigra", only one Alia Bhatt film had opened with less than Rs 5 crore, and that was "Highway", which earned Rs 3.48 crore in 2014. Since then, all her films have crossed the Rs 7 crore mark on opening day, with the exception of "Kapoor & Sons". What makes "Jigra's" opening particularly concerning is that even Alia's two career flops — "Shaandaar" and "Kalank" — had much stronger starts with Rs 13.10 crore and Rs 21.60 crore, respectively. 

Even her solo projects, without a male co-star taking up the spotlight, performed better, with "Raazi" opening at Rs 7.53 crore, "Dear Zindagi" at Rs 8.75 crore, and "Gangubai Kathiawadi" achieving a pandemic-era high of Rs 10.50 crore. These numbers highlight the unusually low buzz surrounding "Jigra".

The underperformance of "Jigra" can be attributed to several factors. Unlike Alia's previous solo films, Jigra lacked the commercial draw that supported her earlier successes. "Gangubai Kathiawadi" had the backing of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and "Dear Zindagi" benefited from Shah Rukh Khan's presence. 

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While some argue that women-led films aren't performing, the recent success of "Crew" counters that belief. Instead, "Jigra's" downfall seems rooted in its unclear marketing and execution. The film struggled to find its identity, wavering between a slick action thriller and a family drama, leaving audiences confused—a risk that post-pandemic viewers no longer tolerate.

Only one Alia Bhatt film has successfully bounced back from a modest opening. "Raazi" started with Rs 7.53 crore but surged to over Rs 50 crore within six days, eventually grossing Rs 124 crore, thanks to strong reviews. "Jigra", however, lacks that critical acclaim. Although the film saw some improvement in earnings on Saturday, its ultimate fate now rests in the hands of the audience.