Sikandar, mounted on a grand scale, carried high hopes of becoming this year’s next big hit after Chhaava. However, the film has fallen short of expectations, largely due to negative word-of-mouth stemming from its weak storyline.
According to Indian media, even on its first Saturday, despite the holiday release, Sikandar failed to see a significant boost in box office numbers. Jointly produced by Salman Khan Films and Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, the film has collected Rs86.5 crore (net) in India over six days.
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Morning trends indicated minimal growth, and according to midday reports, Saturday’s shows haven’t benefited from the Eid holiday either. The movie is projected to earn around Rs4 crore on its seventh day. Aiming to cross the Rs100 crore mark in its second week, this mass action entertainer is inching its way toward the coveted milestone.
Released during Eid-ul-Fitr, Sikandar stars Salman Khan as the titular character, Sanjay Rajkot aka Sikandar, with Rashmika Mandanna playing his on-screen wife, Saisri Rajkot. Veteran actor Sathyaraj, known for roles in Baahubali and Chennai Express, portrays the antagonist. The ensemble cast also includes Kajal Aggarwal, Prateik Babbar, and Sharman Joshi in significant roles.
This film marks Salman Khan’s return to leading roles in theatres after a two-year gap—his last lead appearance being Tiger 3 in 2023. In 2024, he made special appearances in Singham Again and Baby John.
Sikandar is the first collaboration between Salman Khan and director AR Murugadoss, who is known for the blockbuster Ghajini starring Aamir Khan and Asin. It also marks Salman’s first film with Rashmika Mandanna.
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What went wrong?
According to a report, the film had massive expectations due to Salman Khan’s star power, but it failed miserably, especially considering the hype around his return to theaters after two years. The introduction of Salman’s character was powerful, and the action in the airplane sequence felt promising. However, after that, the film quickly lost its grip, becoming chaotic and confusing.
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The absence of a proper antagonist weakens the film, as the supposed villains appear more like cameos, removing any real tension or stakes from the storyline. The director has been blamed for the film’s failure. The editing is described as choppy and nonsensical, making the narrative hard to follow, with random scenes and abrupt cuts.
Rashmika Mandanna’s character is barely relevant to the plot and appears only a few times. Even she might be confused about whether she was actually part of the film. Salman Khan’s slow-motion dialogues, stretched out for minutes, feel unnatural. He looked good only in the action scenes but faltered badly when it came to delivering lines.
