Vasan Bala recently deactivated his X account following the disappointing box office performance of his film Jigra. Despite his previous engagement on social media, the director has chosen to step back after facing criticism. He continues to share positive feedback on Instagram, emphasizing the challenges of mainstream filmmaking
Filmmaker Vasan Bala recently deleted or deactivated his account on X (formerly Twitter) following the disappointing box office performance of his latest film Jigra. The director was previously active on the platform, frequently engaging with fans. However, after the Alia Bhatt-starrer film did not perform well, Bala appears to have chosen to step away from the platform. On Sunday, several users noticed his account was no longer accessible, with the message, "This post is from an account that no longer exists," appearing on the landing page of his profile. Despite leaving X, the filmmaker remains active on Instagram, where he continues to repost positive feedback about Jigra on his Stories.
Coincidentally, this move came shortly after Bala addressed the various criticisms surrounding the film. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, the director expressed that while releasing a film had always been a challenge for him, this time, it was a certainty, and on a much larger scale. He admitted that he was unsure of how to process the film's underperformance but acknowledged that delivering at the box office comes with a certain level of responsibility in mainstream cinema.
When asked if he felt he had let down Karan Johar and Alia Bhatt, Bala admitted that he did feel a sense of guilt. He emphasized that despite Johar and Bhatt being highly supportive and not making him feel this way, it was a personal struggle he had to contend with. He also stressed the importance of being open to criticism in order to grow as a filmmaker, noting that defending a film too vigorously after its release is not graceful.
Bala further mentioned that there had been increased scrutiny surrounding Jigra, particularly due to the involvement of a mainstream star and the film’s lackluster box office performance. He expressed hope that by being open about the film’s reception, it would increase his chances of making more films in the future.
Jigra has faced several challenges, including poor box office numbers and accusations of inflating its collection figures. Additionally, Karan Johar was criticized for allegedly pushing Alia Bhatt for the role after Bala revealed that Johar had sent her the script before he had finalized it.