Alia Bhatt's movie director lives in 'rented house' and thought he would never return to film sets. Vasan Bala opens up about Jigra's failure

Time of India

01-08-2025

Sometimes, even the most talented filmmakers get blindsided by failure. That's what happened to Vasan Bala—one of Hindi cinema's most interesting voices—after the box office disappointment of Jigra. The film, starring Alia Bhatt as a fierce, protective sister and Vedang Raina as her brother, was expected to strike gold. But despite its emotional intensity and a big-ticket production by Dharma, Jigra fell short. Now, Bala has opened up about how deeply the film's performance shook him—personally and professionally.Directed by Vasan Bala and made on a reported budget of Rs 80 crore, Jigra managed to earn only Rs 56.93 crore worldwide, as per Sacnilk. While Alia Bhatt's performance was praised, the film struggled to connect with audiences. In a recent conversation with Cyrus Broacha, the Monica, O My Darling director admitted just how much the film's failure affected him. He called the movie's box office a "sucker punch" and shared how low it made him feel.The filmmaker shared that he had once imagined a post-Jigra life filled with luxury—but that vision never materialised. Bala reflected on how failure shifts one's perspective, saying that success is often appreciated more when it remains out of reach. But when you're trying to buy a house, he admitted, the lack of financial reward stings even more. Despite directing a major film, he revealed that he still lives in a rented house and hasn't seen the financial upswing he once hoped for.The Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota director also revealed that after the release, he visited a Mani Ratnam set for two days just to feel the energy of filmmaking again. 'I thought I'd never go back,' he admitted.Vasan Bala has always brought a fresh edge to his films. From Peddlers, which premiered at Cannes, to the cult-favorite Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, and his work as a writer on Bombay Velvet, Raman Raghav 2.0, and The Lunchbox, his filmography reflects risk-taking and range. With Jigra, he may have faced a setback, but if his recovery process is anything like his storytelling, expect something compelling on the horizon.