Alia Bhatt shines in JIGRA, a tale of courage and conflict

After making beautiful films like Monica, O My Darling and Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, director Vasan Bala's latest film, Jigra, was released on October 11, 2024. Jigra is an Indian action thriller starring Alia Bhatt. Vasan Bala co-wrote the screenplay with Debashish Irengbam, and the film is produced by Dharma Productions and Eternal Sunshine Productions.

Following her powerful performances in movies like Gully Boy and Gangubai Kathiawadi, Alia Bhatt once again plays a strong female character in the role of Satya. The film portrays the deep bond between Satya and her brother Ankur (played by Vedang Raina). In one scene, Satya tells her brother, “Since you wear my rakhi, you are under my protection, understand?” This line reflects a powerful representation of women, something increasingly rare in today’s pan-India films.

While the masses are drawn to male-centric films like Pushpa, KGF, and Animal, a film like Jigra, featuring a female protagonist, highlights the essence of women’s empowerment.

Taba Reema, who recently completed her screen acting studies at FTII, shines in her role as a police officer in Jigra. At FTII, students are required to make a film as part of their final semester practical exam, which is called a diploma film. Taba made her entry into Hindi cinema with her strong performance in the diploma film Ahor Bahar, directed by Ranjan Umakrishnan. Her journey from Arunachal to FTII and from there to the film industry exemplifies women’s empowerment.

Manoj Pahwa’s performance is also praiseworthy. Achint Thakkar’s music and Varun Grover’s lyrics infuse the film with energy. Prerna Sahgal’s editing is sharp and purposefully raw, and the cinematography is equally commendable.

Despite being made on a budget of 90 crores and running for 153 minutes, the film has so far collected only around 56 crores worldwide. Although this may bring some disappointment to the producers, cinema lovers like us appreciate the joy of seeing a female-centric film.