Jigra (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – Jigra is a tale of a sister who will go to extreme lengths to protect her brother.

My Take – While Hindi cinema has churned out umpteen number of films which sees brothers going to limitless levels for their sisters, this latest from director Vasan Bala (Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, Monica, O My Darling), which he co-wrote with Debashish Irengbam, flips the script by putting the onus of the savior act on a sister who will stop at nothing to protect her younger brother, including orchestrating a jailbreak in a foreign country.

And combined together with a compelling narrative, the result is a gritty, fast-paced, and thrilling experience that sees Alia Bhatt deliver one of her finest performances yet.

Crafted as an emotionally charged escape thriller, the film thankfully does away with all the melodrama that usually come attached with sibling bond stories and instead focuses on how the dynamic plays out against a growing atmosphere of dread and a ticking clock.

Yes, it is far from perfect, twenty minutes too long, and somewhat sluggish in parts, but marked by minimal plotting, understated performances and flawless technical attributes, the film overall does a good job of crafting a gripping prison break drama to be remembered.

The story follows Satya (Alia Bhatt), a tightly coiled and deceptively lethal young woman, who after witnessing her father’s suicide found herself raised by her powerful and rich relatives, and later working as their fixer in one of their luxury hotels, where she handles any inconveniences, human or otherwise. But despite her esteemed position, Satya’s sole loyalty remains towards her younger, more tech savvy brother Ankur (Vedang Raina).

Whose attempts to raise money for a tech start-up with his reckless, far richer cousin Kabir (Aditya Nanda) go from boom to bust in a matter of days, when the two find themselves arrested for possession. To make matters worse, Kabir and his family summarily frame Ankur, promising a lighter sentence, only to find him on death row three months away in Hanshi Dao, a fictional East Asian island nation with draconian drug policies.

However, Satya is unwilling to accept his fate through legal ways, especially believing that Ankur is a victim of circumstances stemming from the terrible hand that life dealt the two siblings and is determined to liberate her kid brother come what may. Making common cause with a jovial former gangster Shekhar Bhatia (Manoj Pahwa), who too has a good reason to help her, and Muthu (Rahul Ravindran), a retired Indian-origin policeman who knows the jail inside out.

The trio draw up a daring plan to get Ankur, Bhatia’s son Tony Mehtani (Yuvraj Vijjan) and another wrongly convicted prisoner, Chandan (Dheer Hira), out of the high-security prison that is run by a ruthless officer in charge, Hans Raj Landa (Vivek Gomber).

Here, director Vasan Bala has come up with a plot that combines thrills, emotions, and drama in equal proportions. The slow-paced treatment works as it allows you to connect to the characters and their world. The jail setup is portrayed in an interesting way. True to form, director Bala leaves crumbs and Easter eggs of his pop culture inspirations throughout the feature, particularly of those starring Amitabh Bachchan.

But what matters most for the story is the sibling relationship, which is sold masterfully by Bhatt and Raina‘s onscreen chemistry, even more impressive since they spend most of the film divided after a few critical establishing scenes. The narrative is strong enough to convey the ache of injustice and separation. Satya’s desperation to reach Ankur even at her most practical and Ankur trying to find a sense of self outside her constant protection are some of the most effective parts of the film.

And as Satya’s mission hurtles towards its climax, the scope of the film expands and encompasses political rebels, prison rioters and rapid action police squads. The finale sees director Bala use a bit of everything—slo-mo, bodycam, smoke bombs, blackouts, fistfights, shootouts—but to good effect. The sustained aria-like action only works because the actors have been so emotionally wrought.

Sure, the film has issues, particularly with the screenplay in the second half, yet you can’t help be swept in by the film. As the lead cast help in maintaining the sheer audacity transpiring on screen.

Co-produced by her and big sister Shaheen along with Dharma Productions, Alia Bhatt shines once again, delivering a powerful performance with her trademark emotional intensity. As the protective sister, she makes you feel the character’s angst and convincingly portrays the action sequences too. One film old Vedang Raina‘s portrayal is both sincere and captivating, adding to the film’s dynamic energy. As mentioned above, their chemistry is pure and palpable.

Manoj Pahwa and Rahul Ravindran bring in nuanced turns, while Ankur Khanna, Aditya Nanda, Yuvraj Vijjan and Dheer Hira comprise of a reliable and dynamic supporting cast. But as the chief antagonist, Vivek Gomber hams all the way up. On the whole, ‘Jigra’ is a visually taut thriller elevated by yet another stellar Alia Bhatt performance.