Very Something has been given. In a rare achievement, it introduces a woman who goes to lengths unimaginable in a jailbreak film to save her brother from life imprisonment. It is ‘Jigra’, starring Alia Bhatt as Satyabhama Anand and Vedang Raina as her younger brother Ankur. Satyabhama’s journey is remarkable, highlighting the lengths she will go to for her family – a theme that is not new to Bollywood fiction.
Jailbreak movies often explore deeper questions about fate versus free will. Do the characters actually control their own destinies, or are their outcomes determined by larger forces such as social structures, personal flaws, or power dynamics? Satya fiercely protects her brother Ankur, who is wrongly convicted of drug possession while traveling with his cousin in Hansi Dao, a fictional Southeast Asian country off the Malaysian coast. Facing death row in a high-security prison, Ankur’s situation becomes a race against time as Satya resolves to bring him back to India.
Satya navigates the complex legal hurdles of the judicial system in a foreign territory and the ethical dilemmas of taking justice into one’s own hands.
battling Lives. Well, it’s imaginary! Her determination tries to convey themes of familial duty, sacrifice, and the pursuit of justice, perhaps as a way of showing how far one can go to protect loved ones. The film depicts her efforts to overcome these obstacles, working against seemingly impossible odds. She explores diplomatic avenues, gets involved in covert operations and ultimately resorts to a daring jailbreak.
Another interesting aspect of ‘Jigra’ is its portrayal of friendship between prisoners. Jailbreak films often focus on the camaraderie and loyalty between prisoners. It’s mostly about the bonds formed within the prison system that can be stronger than those on the outside. This theme resonates with films like ‘The Great Escape’, where prisoners come together to not only escape but to challenge their captors. ‘Jigra’ similarly shows the strength of these relationships, although in their initial stages, they do not get along well.
However, despite a cast like Vivek Gomber and Manoj Pahwa, the film struggles to break free from its conventional trajectory. Alia Bhatt’s character, who is motivated only by the desire to save her brother, leads to a predictable story that grows thin, ultimately making the narrative feel dull. Many jailbreak films highlight power struggles between prisoners and officers, symbolizing resistance to institutional control. Prison wardens or guards often represent authoritarian individuals whose repressive tactics reflect broader social control mechanisms. In ‘Jigra’, Vedang Raina’s character seeks help from Gomber’s jailer, but as the story progresses, their relationship becomes strained. Close-up shots of the jailer suggest that he could help Vedang, but the opposite happens, creating an unfulfilling tension.
Manoj Pahwa injects humor and affection into the story that attempts to elevate the film, but the other actors don’t match his energy. Fans can sympathize with Rahul Ravindran’s Muthu, a former police officer who knows the prison well and assists in Satyabhama and Pahwa’s plans. However, his decision to back out at the last minute seems unfair, especially considering his previous efforts to save someone he had wrongly arrested.
For viewers who have grown up watching films like ‘The Shawshank Redemption’, where prison is a metaphor for social injustice and hope, ‘Jigra’ may fall short. However, if one can appreciate the portrayal of a traumatized sister’s fierce love for her brother, it may be worth a watch. Ultimately, while the emotional stakes are present, they fail to keep the audience glued to the screen in this revenge drama where the characters grapple with the philosophical question of the true meaning of freedom. Escaping physical imprisonment does not always equate to true freedom, especially when characters carry the burden of past traumas or societal expectations.
While rooting for Vedang and his fellow prisoners, viewers may find themselves sympathizing with the antihero who raises questions about justice, redemption, and the validity of society’s legal definitions of right and wrong. After all, ‘Jigra’ presents a fictional narrative that is far from real-world scenarios. Alia Bhatt has given the industry some great films like ‘Highway’ and ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’, but with this experiment under her own production, she might need another entertaining story to showcase her potential.