‘Jigra’ Review: Alia Bhatt saves a Disappointing Film

Jigra tells the story of an unbreakable bond between a sister and brother.

The film narrates the saga of Satyabala ‘Satya’ Anand, whom Alia Bhatt brings to life.

Satya is a determined young woman on a daunting and dangerous mission. 

The movie is directed by Vasan Bala and was released on October 11, 2024.

However, despite a premise rich with emotion and courage, the film appears rushed and soulless. 

Alia delivers a powerful performance but is this enough for viewers to invest two-and-a-half hours of their time?

DESIblitz is here to help you decide whether to watch Jigra or not.

A Powerful Story

Satya is the rock and fierce protector of her younger brother Ankur Anand (Vedang Raina).

In their childhood, their father committed suicide, leaving the siblings in the care of distant relatives.

Since then, it has been Satya and Ankur against the world. 

However, their lives turn upside down when Ankur accompanies his friend Kabir (Aditya Nanda) on a business trip in the island of Hanshi Dao.

While he enjoys his independence, Ankur gets arrested for drug possession and faces the death penalty in the form of electrocution. 

But Ankur is actually innocent – he lied to save Kabir. Satya cannot bear the thought of losing her beloved brother.

She therefore vows to free Ankur herself. Arriving on the island, she meets Shekhar Bhatia (Manoj Pahwa), a former gangster.

His son Tony is also in prison facing the death penalty. Along with Tony and Ankur, Bhatia and Satya also decide to free Chandan and Rayyan (Ankur Khanna).

They find an ally in Muthu (Rahul Ravindran) – a retired police officer who is tormented by the way he arrested an innocent young man who was subsequently executed.

All of these elements create a powerful story for Jigra.

Rushed Screenplay

With such a hard-hitting, gritty story at its core, Jigra had great potential to become an emotional, groundbreaking drama.

However, the biggest disappointment of the film is its rushed pace and a screenplay that relies too much on violence and dialogue.

Director Vasan, who has co-written the film along with Debashish Irengbam, does not give the audience enough time to fully connect with Satya and Ankur.

We see them as children, and Satya promises to deal with her brother’s bullies, just as they enter their home to see their father jumping off the balcony.

However, the film does not explore the impact this had on them. We know that this incident could have transformed Satya into a protective sister, but the effect on Satya is not shown adequately.

More attention to this could have enabled viewers to connect with the characters in a stronger manner.

When Ankur is falsely incarcerated awaiting death, Satya plans an escape for him and his allies.

Despite this, Jigra rushes through key scenes such as the planning and the emotion of undertaking such a task.

The audience are also not given enough time to know Rayyan, Chandan, and Tony. What were their stories and how are they feeling?

This disconnect lessens the impact of a twist later in the film. Thus, the rushed screenplay of Jigra is a significant stumbling block for the film.

Great Performances

Alia Bhatt also co-produces Jigra, displaying her passion for the project.

As the actress disappears into Satya’s role, she is remarkable and formidable.

Despite the sketchy writing, Alia manages to capitalise Satya’s strength and vulnerability. 

Alia’s performance is unique, sublime, and charismatic. In a scene, Alia and Muthu fight and beat each other senseless.

The Gangubai Kathiawadi star shows her skill in action, strengthening the theme of celluloid feminism.

Alia is tender, strong, and fierce, underscoring the facets of Satya’s grit and personality.

In an interview, the actress explains what her thoughts were when she signed the film:

“When I signed Jigra, I think I was in my tigress mode.

“I was in my most protective like, ‘No one come near her,’ mode. That was the energy.”

This energy shines in Jigra, making Alia somewhat of a saving grace.

Alia finds a strong anchor in Vedang, who is splendid as the troubled Ankur. Vedang shares a great chemistry with Alia and they portray a heartfelt brother-sister relationship.

The film also carries terrific performances from Manoj Pahwa and Rahul Ravindra, who highlight the struggles of their characters with sincerity and talent.

Directon & Execution

Vasan Bala pours every fibre of his being into Jigra and the effort is more than visible.

The cinematography is brilliant, with gorgeous shots and unique camera angles highlighting the magnitude of every scene.

However, as mentioned previously, the script of the film is feeble and flat. Other than a few painful lashes, we are not given deep insights into Ankur’s state in prison.

Vasan attempts to create an adrenaline-filled climax. However, there is so much going on that the viewers struggle to know where to look.

The volley of explosions, bright fire, and flying bullets become tiresome and even Alia’s agility and screen prowess cannot salvage this.

Towards the end of the climax, the viewers could be forgiven for just wanting Ankur to be freed quickly so they can all go home.

The songs of the film are composed by Anchit Thakkar and Manpreet Singh. 

‘Tenu Sang Rakhna’ is the anthem of Jigra. It is a gorgeously melodious track that underlines the relationship between Satya and Ankur.

RD Burman’s classic from Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971), ‘Phoolon Ka Taaron Ka’, is recreated in Jigra.

However, the song doesn’t match up to Kishore Kumar’s everlasting rendition and therefore is hardly memorable.

Vasan should be applauded for his vision, but the execution is a massive obstacle, which prevents Jigra from becoming the heart-touching experience it could have been. 

Jigra is a honest canvas of a loving yet painful relationship of a sister and brother.

Its story and premise come from a creatively original mind and earnest emotion. 

However, that emotion is not translated into the script, which results in a frayed and fractured film. 

Alia Bhatt carries the movie on her shoulders with confidence and a ferocious demeanour. It is no wonder she is one of the most popular Bollywood actresses.

She saves Jigra from becoming unwatchable but at a run time of approximately two hours and 30 minutes, the film certainly tests one’s patience.

If you’re a die-hard Alia Bhatt fan, you will love Jigra for her zeal and grit.

But if you’re expecting a genuinely moving and engrossing drama, Jigra is a disappointment.