Jigra, directed by Vasan Bala, is a prison break thriller that beautifully showcases Alia Bhatt’s talent. The film opens with a flashback of Satyabhama Anand, known as Satya, and her younger brother Ankur, who witness a traumatic event in their childhood when their father jumps from a building. This sets a heavy emotional tone as we move to the present, where Satya is managing the household of her wealthy relatives, who took her and Ankur in after they lost their parents. Although they call themselves family, Satya feels the truth is different; she and Ankur are just staff to them.
Alia delivers a powerful performance as Satya, a woman burdened by grief but who shows warmth only towards her brother, the one person she truly cares about. The film starts strong with a solid emotional foundation crafted by Vasan and writer Debashish Irengbam. However, as the story shifts towards the jailbreak action, it loses some of its emotional depth. The film starts to fall into familiar genre clichés and unnecessary references, making the plot feel clunky and oversimplified.
The film takes a turn when Ankur and his cousin Kabir find themselves in trouble during a business trip to the fictional island nation of Hanshi Dao. While Kabir escapes with the help of his influential parents, Ankur faces the harsh reality of a death penalty. This twist adds to the tension but also highlights the film’s struggle to balance its emotional core with the action elements. Overall, Jigra is a compelling watch for those who appreciate character-driven stories, but it could benefit from a tighter narrative to truly shine.
