Salman Khan‘s ‘Sikandar’, an action thriller directed by A.R. Murugadoss and featuring Rashmika Mandana, hit the theaters on March 30, 2025. Released on Eid, the film had high expectations and marked Salman Khan’s return after a two-year screen absence. Despite being produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, reunifying with Salman after their 2014 hit ‘Kick’, the film’s opening day collection lagged with Rs. 26 crore, trailing behind Vicky Kaushal‘s ‘Chhaava’ which secured Rs. 31 crore. This performance was notably below Salman’s previous hits like ‘Tiger 3’.
According to Sacnilk.com, ‘Sikandar’ garnered only 20.95% Hindi occupancy on its first day. While it surpassed Malayalam’s ‘L2: Empuraan’, starring Mohanlal, as an opening, it failed to break records, reflecting disappointments among his fanbase known for celebrating Salman’s Eid releases. Moreover, audience reviews are mixed at best. A user on X expressed severe dissatisfaction, stating that ‘Sikandar’ had a weak storyline, lazy execution, and lackluster performances, even criticizing Salman Khan’s portrayal as unengaged.
Critics also aligned with sentiments from audiences. Komal Nahta remarked, “Overall, #Sikandar is a very weak film with a bad script and a bad screenplay. This movie will not be liked by the public at all. The movie will run for only 2 days because of Eid festivities.” Another user noted that even with low expectations from director A.R. Murugadoss’s recent work, the film failed to deliver, becoming exhausting in its second half with generic writing. Yet, some highlighted Salman Khan’s mass appeal that brought few moments of excitement, although insufficient to elevate the film as a whole.
Salman Khan’s previous releases have set high benchmarks for opening collections, with ‘Sultan’ collecting Rs. 36.54 crore in 2016 and ‘Tiger 3’ amassing Rs. 53.3 crore in 2023. The underwhelming performance of ‘Sikandar’ has sparked discourse about its future potential and growth in the coming days, as industry observers keenly await whether the film can regain momentum or follow its current trajectory.
Despite the lackluster reviews, there’s a psychological impact on its audience, stirred by the negativity and intensity of criticisms. The oscillation between viewer expectations and delivery captured both frustration and sadness among followers of Salman Khan. As future selections and strategies unveil, ‘Sikandar’s’ performance spotlights the challenges and volatile dynamics of high-pressure releases spearheaded by a star icon like Salman Khan.
