Alia Bhatt’s Jigra has found itself in a soup after its release. The controversy erupted after Divya Khossla shared a picture of an empty theatre and called out Bhatt and Karan Johar for allegedly inflating box office numbers. Amid accusations of box office manipulation and plagiarism, director Vasan Bala has finally broken his silence.
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Vasan Bala said that people are free to watch Jigra and Divya Khossla’s Savi to figure out if his film has been copied from hers. He mentioned how he does not want to add more to the fire and added how he is open to getting the accusations investigated. Bala said, “Savi (2024), came out when we were editing the film. It is already out there. Everyone can watch it and make up their minds. I don’t really want to bring down anyone or add more fuel. With the false bookings, that, I think, is a distribution question. I don’t think it is that murky at all, but anyone who can investigate and bring out anything is more than welcome.”
While Khossla alleged that the makers used unfair practices, Manipur actor Bijou Thaangjam called out the team of Jigra and accused them of unprofessionalism and discrimination. Reacting to these allegations, Bala said that he does not ‘remember seeing his face or audition.’ The director continued, “He was never told that he was shortlisted. I think they checked his availability. It is normal procedure to call and ask for availability. He probably assumed he got the part. But I am sure there is always a better way of dealing with things. If he has felt bad, then I apologize because these things happen. And also, you want to be a part of something, so I do not blame him. It is easy to be bitter, and there are enough right reasons to be bitter about as well.”
In the same conversation, Bala also spoke about how he felt that he had let Johar and Bhatt down. Starring Bhatt and Vedang Raina, Jigra follows the story of a young woman who sets out to save her brother who is being tortured in a foreign prison. The movie was released in cinemas on October 11.
Comments
0 comment