Bollywood Uproar: Mukesh Bhatt Slams Divya Khosla Kumar's 'Publicity Stunt' Over Jigra-Savi Controversy

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Alia Bhatt's 2024 release Jigra has faced a setback with its underwhelming box office performance. The film's struggles took a dramatic turn when actor-filmmaker Divya Khosla Kumar accused its makers of copying the plot from her film Savi. However, Alia's uncle and veteran producer Mukesh Bhatt has come out strongly in defense of the film and its star. Mukesh, who collaborated with Divya on Savi, suggests that her allegations were an attempt to gain attention. He points out that Jigra's storyline was actually inspired by Mahesh Bhatt's 1993 film Gumrah, which itself was influenced by the Australian series Bangkok Hilton. "Jigra's makers drew inspiration from Gumrah, not Savi," Mukesh clarifies. Mukesh labels the controversy a 'publicity stunt', stating that it's a common tactic used by celebrities to stay in the spotlight. "Everyone needs publicity, and sometimes, controversy is created to achieve that," he notes. In a strong defense of Alia, Mukesh asserts that she is a major star who doesn't need to resort to such tactics. "Alia is intelligent, sorted, and grounded. She would never stoop to such levels," he says. He adds that Alia is too big for such controversies, implying that she doesn't need to engage in cheap publicity stunts. In her initial statement, Divya Khosla Kumar had pointed out the similarity between the jailbreak storylines in Savi and Jigra, claiming that her film explored the concept first. She also alleged that Jigra's makers inflated box office numbers by buying bulk tickets and sharing a photo of an empty theater. Savi, starring Harshvardhan Rane and Anil Kapoor, reimagines the tale of Savitri and Satyavan, following a housewife who attempts to free her husband from a high-security UK prison. In contrast, Jigra narrates the story of a brother-sister duo with a troubled past, focusing on the sister's mission to rescue her brother from prison.