The box-office failure of Jigra came as a surprise to many but to an array of trade analysts – it wasn’t surprising. In an interview with Bollywood Hungama, trade analyst Taran Adarsh was asked about what he feels went wrong with Jigra, he firstly clarified that he hasn’t seen the film.
But he then remarked that, to create a commercial film that appeals to a wide audience, a director’s sensibility should align with the project’s goals. He cited the example of Dharma Productions, which, though now recognized for urban-centric films, originally began with mainstream commercial movies. According to him, Dharma’s journey started with Dostana, featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha, directed by Raj Khosla. Yash Johar made several films afterward, some of which succeeded while others didn’t, but Adarsh suggested that the focus on mainstream, mass-appeal films was Dharma’s core strength.
He noted that when Karan Johar took over, he continued in this vein with successful love stories like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, but over time, Dharma Productions shifted towards metro-centric films, working with directors whose creative sensibilities, while strong, were not always commercially viable for such projects. Adarsh felt that this shift often led to a disconnect, which could cause a film to fail if it catered only to select urban centers. He mentioned that some exhibitors have voiced a preference for screening South Indian films over Hindi ones because these films continue to offer the “masala” elements that audiences enjoy.
Reflecting on the 1970s and 80s, Adarsh highlighted what he saw as a golden era of “masala” films, which produced one hit after another. Stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Shatrughan Sinha, Shashi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, and Vinod Khanna dominated the screen with releases that often numbered eight or nine films a year, largely owing to their mass appeal. He asserted that it was the masses who transformed actors into superstars, and he pointed out that Bollywood, by pivoting to metro-centric themes, might be ignoring this key audience base. Adarsh questioned who these urban-focused films were truly made for, speculating that they seemed to cater to a select audience from specific areas rather than to broader public tastes.
To critics who sought Hollywood-style films in Bollywood, Adarsh suggested they might consider relocating to Hollywood itself. He emphasized that as long as filmmakers failed to cater to local, native audiences and make films that resonate with them, they risked failure. In his view, these films should be created for the audiences that have sustained Bollywood over the years.