Salman Khan‘s latest film, Sikandar, is struggling to reach even the Rs. 125 crores mark at the box office, indicating a downturn in his once unshakable box office appeal. Previously, his Eid release, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan in 2023, concluded its run at Rs. 110.53 crores, while Dabangg 3 in 2019 collected Rs. 146.11 crores. Tiger 3 amassed Rs. 285.52 crores, but despite being part of a successful franchise, it too underperformed. In stark contrast, Shah Rukh Khan has delivered two consecutive Rs. 500 crores hits with Pathaan and Jawan, sparking discussions on what Salman Khan must do next.
Veteran trade expert Taran Adarsh emphasized, “I just hope that whichever film he does next, he should work with the best of the people. In a way, I don’t blame him. He opted out of his comfort zone of doing films with Remo Dsouza, Prabhudheva, Farhad Samji, etc. He made this film with A R Murugadoss, who delivered two major hits with Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar. Sadly, the film didn’t work as intended.”
Girish Johar, a producer and film business analyst, echoed this sentiment, stating, “He definitely needs to reinvent like how Shah Rukh did with Pathaan and Jawan. He has to upgrade himself and maybe needs to do intelligent films like the Tiger series. He should do films which are slick but are still commercial mass entertainers. They shouldn’t be mindless and should appeal to the youth as well. It should be today’s films.”
Johar continued, “SRK made a smart move. He hired a Southern director, backed an intelligent script and told it in a very mass-appealing manner. It also looked like a film of today. That is what Salman needs to do.”
Distributor and exhibitor Raj Bansal suggested it’s time for a focus on choosing the right director, music, and script. He sees potential in Salman partnering once more with Sooraj Barjatya or possibly pursuing another Tiger sequel.
Vishek Chauhan, owner of Roopbani Cinema in Purnia, Bihar, offered a detailed analysis, commenting on how Salman has reinvented his career twice before. He recalled the transition from romantic films like Maine Pyar Kiya to family and comedy genres with hits such as Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Biwi No 1, and later reinventing himself with action-packed sellouts like Wanted and Dabangg. However, Salman Khan’s current image now requires innovating or diversifying.
Chauhan stressed the necessity of an engaging script, noting, “Now, Salman Khan is stuck with this image. He needs to either add a layer or dimension to it. He also needs a cracker of a script. This is because the star value hasn’t gone anywhere. The pull is still there. You can see it in my cinema and many other theatres across the board that people are still watching his bad films.”
He pointed out that despite underperforming films, Khan’s drawing power remains unrivaled. Chauhan suggested collaboration with a skilled, modern director, remarking on the shortcomings of Sikandar under the direction of A R Murugadoss, and comparing Salman’s current challenges to Shah Rukh Khan’s own battles with previously less successful projects like Fan and Jab Harry Met Sejal.
He concluded, “Imagine if Salman works in a historical film with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It’ll give his fans and audience an authentic cinematic experience. He should also consider Dabangg 4, Kick 2, Bajrangi Bhaijaan 2, etc. as long as it has a compelling script.”
There’s also criticism about Salman’s appearance in Sikandar, as Chauhan noted, “We are used to seeing a very handsome Salman Khan. We are not used to seeing him overweight and where he’s struggling to talk; that’s what was happening in a few scenes. Hence, he should take off for 6 months or a year and work on his fitness and health. Then he should return with a solid film in 2027 and deliver a Rs. 700-800 crores grosser.”
The era when Salman Khan films could thrive solely on his star power during Eid releases appears to be over. Modern audiences require strong narratives to complement the longstanding charm of actors like Salman Khan. Industry experts assert that with calculated moves similar to Shah Rukh Khan’s recent strategies, Salman Khan could share the spotlight in the upper echelons of Bollywood’s box office successes once again.
