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The Bollywood entertainment scene is abuzz with drama as a feud unfolds between Alia Bhatt and Divya Khossla Kumar, drawing Ranbir Kapoor into the fray. The conflict ignited after Divya's harsh criticism of Alia's recent film 'Jigra,' which has not performed well at the box office. This situation is further complicated by the fact that Divya is married to Bhushan Kumar, head of T-Series, the production house behind Ranbir's upcoming film 'Animal Park.'
On October 12, following the release of 'Jigra,' Divya took to Instagram to publicly express her accusations against Alia. She claimed that Alia had misrepresented the film's box office performance, stating, “Went to Citi Mall PVR for Jigra show. Theatre was totally empty… all theatres going empty everywhere. #Aliabhatt me sach mein Bahut #Jigra hai… khud hi tickets karide aur fake collections announce kar diye.” Divya’s post included a picture of an empty cinema and hashtags like #truthoverlies and #weshdnotfooltheaudience, indicating her belief that the media was ignoring the truth.
'Jigra' has indeed struggled at the box office, earning only Rs 11 crore in its first two days. This lackluster performance has fueled the ongoing accusations of inflated box office figures, with critics suggesting that corporate bookings may have been used to fabricate a more favorable image. Amid this escalating situation, fans are left wondering how Ranbir Kapoor will navigate this tumultuous landscape. Will he stand by his wife Alia amidst the allegations, or will he remain committed to T-Series, which is backing 'Animal Park,' the sequel to his hit film 'Animal'?
Social media users have shared mixed opinions on Ranbir’s potential response. One user tweeted, “#RanbirKapoor Husband of #AliaBhatt is working on Animal Park, which is produced by Bhushan Kumar's T-Series. Now let's see if this ALPHA MALE on the screen stands for his wife and backs out from Animal Park or not.” Another chimed in, suggesting, “Why should he? Even if he does, pseudo-feminists would again target him saying, 'Why can’t he let her fight her own battles?'” However, some fans expressed a more nuanced perspective, emphasizing the need to separate personal matters from professional commitments. One thoughtful comment read, “Let’s not mix personal matters with professional work. Ranbir’s choices as an actor are separate from social media drama.”
Interestingly, some speculation has arisen regarding Divya and Bhushan’s marriage, with rumors suggesting that Ranbir might not have to choose sides after all. The backdrop of this feud also involves allegations of story theft. Divya’s film 'Savi,' which features a similar jailbreak narrative, has been mentioned in the context of Alia’s 'Jigra.' Both films revolve around a character attempting to rescue a loved one from prison, though the roles and motivations differ. Divya has accused the makers of 'Jigra' of borrowing elements from 'Savi,' further intensifying the rivalry.
Director Vasan Bala of 'Jigra' has also weighed in on the controversy, claiming that the film's producer shared the raw script with Alia without consulting him first. This has sparked further criticism regarding nepotism, with many arguing that Alia was not the original choice for the role. In response to the mounting drama, Karan Johar, a significant figure in the industry, shared a cryptic message on social media that many interpreted as a subtle jab at Divya's comments. He wrote, “Silence is the best speech you will ever give to fools,” hinting at the controversy without directly addressing it.
As 'Jigra' continues to face scrutiny, its performance at the box office has been disappointing. On its first day, the film netted approximately Rs 4.25 crore, primarily from its Hindi version, while the Telugu dub saw a mere Rs 5 lakh. Reports suggest some morning shows in key Telugu regions had zero occupancy, raising further doubts about its commercial success. 'Jigra' tells the story of a sister's quest to save her brother from a foreign prison, a narrative that aims to resonate with audiences but has been overshadowed by controversy and criticism.