In a dramatic twist of box office fortunes, Vicky Kaushal‘s Chhaava has outdone Salman Khan‘s highly anticipated film Sikandar, which released on Sunday, March 30. Despite the buzz surrounding Salman Khan’s return to the Eid release calendar after two years, Sikandar is trailing behind Chhaava in both advance bookings and initial box office numbers, signaling an unexpected shift in audience preference.
Sikandar, directed by AR Murugadoss and featuring stars like Rashmika Mandanna and Kajal Aggarwal, was poised to make a significant impact upon release. However, with just ₹10 crore in advance bookings for its opening day, it fell short compared to Chhaava’s ₹13 crore, highlighting Vicky Kaushal’s growing influence in Bollywood. Despite hopes for a strong walk-in audience and a Sunday debut, Sikandar’s predicted ₹25-30 crore net opening pales in comparison to Chhaava’s ₹31 crore debut, according to Sacnilk.
Industry experts were optimistic that Sikandar’s spot bookings might catch up with early box office achievers, as articulated by Gautam Dutta, CEO-Revenue & Operations at PVR INOX Ltd, who predicted a ₹50 crore opening. Yet even a solid start would place it behind Salman Khan’s previous successes, such as Tiger 3, which earned ₹54 crore gross, and the horror comedy Stree 2, with an impressive ₹70 crore gross.
Adding to Sikandar’s challenges, the film faced a significant setback when it was leaked online just hours prior to its release. This digital piracy incident prompted the producers to act swiftly by removing illegal copies from 600 websites, as noted by trade analyst Komal Nahta. Despite these efforts, the leak is feared to have impacted the box office prospects, potentially diminishing revenue and costing the producers.
The film marks Salman Khan’s return to cinemas after a hiatus since 2023, with expectations set high for its performance. However, the initial figures suggest audiences are turning their attention toward Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava, potentially reshaping Bollywood’s box office landscape. The unexpected dynamics of this release weekend may reflect a shift in viewer interests, with long-term implications for the box office trajectory of upcoming releases.
As audiences await further developments, the box office performance of Chhaava serves as a testament to Vicky Kaushal’s rising stardom, while Sikandar’s struggle could necessitate a re-evaluation of marketing strategies and audience engagement for future films. The competitive nature of the industry remains evident, with unpredictable outcomes keeping both fans and industry insiders on edge.
