‘Alia Bhatt proved herself over a decade, Karan Johar ko viraasat mein nahi mili hai’: Vasan Bala stands up for his Jigra cohorts

Director Vasan Bala praised his Jigra star Alia Bhatt and producer Karan Johar for being supportive even as their film under-performs at the box office. Jigra has emerged as a notable box office under-performer, despite its big-ticket credentials and Alia’s star power. Reviews have been divisive as well, with Vasan admitting that people have either loved the film or hated it. He said that he is pleased with the reaction, but is dissatisfied by the commercial performance, especially since this was his first time working on such a large scale.

In an interview with VOA India, Vasan spoke highly of both Karan and Alia, and said that they have worked incredibly hard to earn their reputations in the film industry. Acknowledging the guilt that he feels about letting them both down, he said, “Box office matters, because it isn’t my money. It’s one of the primary responsibilities of a filmmaker; it’s an art, but it’s an expensive art form. A lot of resources go into making a movie, and it’s also that both the star and producer have earned a reputation for themselves. Karan ko viraasat mein nahi mili hai; he has made the biggest blockbusters and earned this position for himself. And Alia has also earned it over 10 years.”

Also read – Jigra: Vasan Bala weaponises Alia Bhatt in one of the best Hindi films of the year; Karan Johar better have his back

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Vasan said that it was his responsibility to assure ‘the bare minimum’ returns, which he has failed to. Jigra hasn’t yet cracked the Rs 50 crore mark worldwide, despite having cost a reported Rs 90 crore to make. Opening up about working with Alia Bhatt, Vasan continued, “She’s very instinctive, I would always choose the word ‘wise’ for her, because she isn’t calculative at all.”

Vasan said that Alia has a keen understanding of storytelling, and is quick to grasp new ideas. He continued, “She doesn’t calculate what she’s doing as the hero. So, every time we decide on something right before the scene, there is a small discussion, and that small discussion starts and ends very quickly… With Satya, it’s all about need, not want. There is a kind of greed associated with wants, but needs are always pure.”

Jigra also features Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Rahul Ravindran and Vivek Gomber. The film was released in theatres on October 11, and will soon be released on Netflix. Following the film’s disappointing opening, Karan took to social media to declare that he will always have Vasan’s back.