Salman Khan's 'Sikandar': Is This the Gift on Eid We Hoped For?

Salman Khan is back on the silver screen after two years with her latest film, Sikandar, directed by A.R. Murugadoss and co-starring Rashmika Mandanna, which was released on March 30, 2025. Being a devoted fan of Bhaijaan, I attended the first-day, first-show screening with great enthusiasm and high expectations from SK and A.R. Murugadoss. But guess what? I was extremely disappointed because I felt the ambition of the narrative wasn't executed properly, and the cinematic experience left me feeling underwhelmed.

Salman Khan and Eid have become synonymous with each other, as every year, on that day, the beloved superstar gives his fans a reason to celebrate by releasing his movies. But despite high expectations, the film performed to fail at the box office as well.

Watch the trailer here:

Plot Overview

In Sikandar, Salman Khan plays Sanjay Rajkot, a people's king who sets out to safeguard the recipients of his deceased wife's organs from an angry minister. Although the setup is interesting, the script is full of illogical and unrealistic situations. For example, a politician turned billionaire taking part in street battles and a terrorist on the run walking around in a metropolitan city like Mumbai. Salman's action scenes, especially the Dharavi fight and flight introduction, are entertaining and showcase his superstar charisma. The surprise element is Sharman Joshi as Salman’s loyal side. He proves his prodigy against the superstar, giving a subtle and effective performance.

Rashmika’s character feels underutilized, and she doesn’t really get a big monologue or a stand-out scene that works in her favour, though her presence on screen is stunning. The few action sequences feel repetitive, with slow-motion shots, flying goons, and exploding cars. Though being a fan, I felt this whole crux of the film was very similar to the "Salman Khan" genre in itself, where we usually see larger-than-life heroism, punchy dialogues, and immense swag.

Box Office Collection

The film opened decently with Rs 26 crore on its first day (March 30) and peaked at Rs 29 crore on Eid Monday. However, what followed was a sharp decline—Rs 19.5 crore on Tuesday and just Rs 9.75 crore on Wednesday. Failing to hit the Rs 100 crore mark in its first week, the film wrapped up the opening seven days with Rs 90 crore—a disappointing figure for a star of Salman Khan’s stature, especially during the lucrative festival row of Eid. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, Sikandar added Rs 1.35 crore to its total haul on Wednesday, its 11th day at the domestic box office. This was a minor drop from its Tuesday collection of Rs. 1.5 crore. Now, the total domestic box office collection of Sikandar stands at Rs 107.1 crore. 

Factors Contributing to Box Office Performance

After watching Sikandar, I felt there may be a few factors that have influenced the film's underwhelming performance:

1. Predictable Plot: Sikandar takes a dig at AI threat and asks pertinent questions about technology and its misuse, which is a new attempt to reinvent Salman, though the film could not meet the expectation because of improper execution and an illogical narrative that failed to engage viewers.
2. Age Gap Between Lead Actors: The 31-year age difference between Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna could not portray chemistry between the two actors, which became more difficult for the audience to relate. Now, I am really skeptical about casting choices in Bollywood.
3. Competition: Sikandar faced stiff competition from other releases and ongoing popular films, which may have diverted potential viewers, especially with the release of Sunny Deol's starrer Jaat.

Reaction from the Industry insiders

Addressing the criticism during the film's trailer launch, Salman Khan stated:

They say there is a 31-year difference between the heroine and me. If the heroine doesn't have any problem or the heroine's father doesn't have any problem, then why do you have a problem?

Veteran actress Aruna Irani reflected on the historical context of such pairings:

It has existed since I was young and maybe even before that. There were actors like Rajendra Kumar and Dev Anand who were in their 50s and 60s and romanced an 18-year-old actress, and that was absolutely fine because, after all, the actors matter.

On the contrary, singer Sona Mohapatra criticized Salman Khan's remarks, labeling them as

Indicative of toxic masculinity and questioning their relevance in contemporary society.

Diverse Audience Reaction

Social media is buzzing with various reactions from the audience. Some were thrilled by Salman Khan's striking screen presence and the film's high-octane action sequences. The entry scenes and dramatic moments are cheered in theatres, with some viewers describing the experience as "paisa vasool" (worth the money).

Salman Khan rules the show in #Sikandar with his swag. The action scenes are whistle-worthy and sure to set single screens on fire.

Conversely, some viewers and critics expressed disappointment on the predictable plot and lack of depth in character development. One viewer noted:

A dull and outdated storyline, easily forgettable. It seems my favourite director, A.R. Murugadoss, could use a break. Not a single memorable scene, and Bhaijaan appears exhausted and disengaged throughout.

As Sikandar slowly fades from theatres with diminishing footfalls, it shall be remembered as one of Salman Khan's least impactful Eid releases. The film's inability to meet audience expectations and capitalize on the festive season serves as a wake-up call for Bollywood, which shows that audiences are demanding more compelling storytelling and character development in different narratives. With Jaat now captivating single screens and rural audiences, Salman faces the challenge of reconnecting with fans who are still eagerly waiting for the return of the real Bhai they adore.

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