For director Vasan Bala, the release of his highly anticipated film Jigra, featuring Alia Bhatt, was supposed to be the turning point, the door to a life of greater luxury. Rumors in the trade suggested the film would be his biggest money earner till date, a venture that would establish him and perchance, for once, free him of the stigma of leased housing.
But the box office had other ideas. Jigra underachieved dramatically, so Bala was not in some new dreamhouse, but still living in his rented residence, a harsh reminder of the industry’s sometimes brutal realities.
The Box Office Aftershock: Financial Fallout
Jigra’s box office performance handed a “sucker punch” to Vasan Bala. Produced on a budget of some ₹80 crore, the film could not even manage to reach the mark of ₹60 crore globally, a huge shortfall which didn’t just affect the producers but also Vasan Bala’s personal dreams.
Bala himself has publicly admitted the failure, confessing that box office figures were his to provide, considering the faith reposed in him by a performer like Alia Bhatt and a production company like Dharma Productions. This box office failure personally dashed his long-standing dream of purchasing his own house, relegating him to a rented life in Mumbai’s Juhu.
Creative Resilience: Navigating the Aftermath
In spite of the disappointing box office results, Vasan Bala has been incredibly strong. He insists that he is proud of Jigra and of the experience of collaborating with Alia Bhatt, whom he commends for her phenomenal work ethic and vision. Immediately after, there were reports of Bala visiting even a Mani Ratnam film set for a couple of days, just to be around a film crew, a poignant reminder of his deep passion for filmmaking even when smitten by professional disappointment.
Though commercial success eludes him this time with Jigra, Bala has informed that some new scripts are in the pipe, which suggests the creative spirit is still very much undimmed. His career path, including highly praised films like Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota and Monica, O My Darling, is one of a director who does not hesitate to take risks. That the Indian commercial imperative of the industry ensures that prospects for funding future endeavors rest upon previous box office success, though, means that the way ahead for Bala is going to be a difficult one, but one that will certainly be resolved with determination.
