“Staff is just that….staff”, says Satya (played by a gutsy looking Alia Bhatt) in Jigra. She works as a wedding planner at the estate of the rich Mehtani family. Her brother Ankur (played by a naive-looking Vedang Raina) is best friends with Kabir (Aditya Nanda), the rich spoilt brat of the Mehtanis.
Satya is aware of the class difference between her and Mentanis. Ankur pitches a software to a Chinese tech company, for which he goes to the Hanshi Dao province in mainland China. The two are caught by the traffic police and drugs are confiscated from Kabir.
Jigra Movie: Plot
As is mostly the case with the rich, Mehtanis pull some strings and get Kabir out of the prison, throwing Ankur under the bus. He is produced in Hanshi Dao court which orders death by electrocution (apparently, consuming drugs is the number one offense in this province).
Satya flies out to the Hanshi Dao province in a chartered flight (there is also a subliminal hint dropped at the possibility of her being queer as she says ‘everything’ when the air hostess asks her ‘what cab I get you'?)
Jigra Movie: Performances
At the province, Satya befriends Mr Bhatia (played by an endearing Manoj Pahwa) whose son is also locked in the detention centre. Apparently, this province wants to make an example out of the immigrants.
Muthu (played by Rahul Ravindran) is an ex-cop who helps Satya and Bhatia get the blueprint of the prison cell, helping them escape. Meanwhile, Ankur with his inmates plans an escape which doesn't go as planned. Will Satya be able to reacue her brother from the dreaded detention center?
Jigra Movie: Writing And Direction
What I liked about the film was how director Vasan Bala incorporated important elements of Chinese cultural ethos. We see fesfivals, Graffiti walls and aesthetically lit Chinatown-esque streets where most of the action unfolds. The depiction of a police state, one where the people don't have personal liberties is painfully realistic.
There are multiple references to the Chinese liberation movement in the film. In the penultimate scene of the film, Satya thunders—Coming Vansui—which means ‘Love Live the Revolution’ (the subtitles show ‘Inqalab Zindabad’). There is also a reference to a Coast festival when all the spirits come alive—the perfect day to plan an escape from prison.
Jigra Movie: What Works, What Doesn't
What doesn't work for Jigra is just how simplistic its commentary on class privilege and feminism is. In fact, the initial scenes where we see Satya and Ankur’s dynamic unfold, it seems Satya is infantilizing her brother. Her love seems so toxic that it seems like she is smothering him.
She calls him up repeatedly to know his whereabouts. Who wouldn't want a protective sister but one who will let you meet a friend only if you beat her in basketball?
Thus sounds like a scene written specifically to show just how badass Satya is. Almost a school skit level way of saying—look, a sister protecting her brother and beating him at basketball. How feminist. Patriarchy smashed.
Overly simplistic commentary on feminism and privilege aside, the film is also predictable. For some reason, there arent many endearing moments with the characters. Granted Bhatia (Pahwa) and Satya (Bhatt's) bond does tug at your heartstrings, but it is difficult to root for characters.
All in all, Vasan Bala's Jigra doesn't really offer anything unique. A prison break thriller isn't something we haven't already seen before (think: Savi, which was released in May). The commentary on feminism could have been more nuanced than “tu mujhe Rakhi bandh ta hai toh main teri Raksha karungi”. Watch if you wish to see Alia Bhatt be all badass and beat up guys in an oversized shirt.
Star rating: 2.5 / 5 stars
Jigra is now playing in theaters.
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