Salman Khan’s much-anticipated film Sikandar seems to be losing its grip at the box office, especially in the face of rising competition from Sunny Deol’s actioner Jaat. Directed by AR Murugadoss, Sikandar was released on the festive occasion of Eid, a time when Salman’s films usually dominate the box office. However, this time around, the film has failed to recreate the blockbuster success seen in his earlier Eid releases.
Declining Collections After a Strong Start
Sikandar opened with a solid ₹26 crore on day one and managed a respectable ₹90.25 crore by the end of its first week. However, the second week witnessed a steep fall in collections, with the film managing to add just ₹17.55 crore over seven days.
According to early estimates reported by Sacnilk.com, Sikandar has earned ₹109.04 crore in total by the end of its 15-day theatrical run. On its second Sunday, the film couldn’t cross the ₹1 crore mark, collecting just over ₹50 lakh. The dramatic drop in numbers is being attributed to tough box office competition from Jaat, which is performing exceptionally well in mass circuits.
Fan Expectations vs. Reality
Sikandar was touted as Salman Khan’s big comeback following the lukewarm response to Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan in 2023. With AR Murugadoss at the helm—best known for his blockbuster Ghajini expectations were high. The film also featured Rashmika Mandanna in the lead, marking her major Bollywood outing opposite Salman.
However, the film failed to meet fan expectations. A review by Hindustan Times pointed out the shortcomings in Murugadoss’ direction, saying, “Salman still owns action scenes like a boss… yet, Murugadoss’ direction is so below average, that it makes Salman appear even weaker an actor than he really is.” Rashmika’s performance was also critiqued for lacking impact, with persistent issues in dialogue delivery.
Can Sikandar Recover?
With Jaat continuing to dominate at the box office and more films like The Bhootnii and Kesari Chapter 2 set to release soon, Sikandar faces an uphill battle. Despite crossing the ₹100 crore mark, the film’s performance has fallen short of the blockbuster status typically associated with a Salman Khan Eid release.
Only time will tell if Sikandar can salvage its run, or if it will fade faster than expected.
