Twelve days after its theatrical release, Sikandar, the latest film headlined by Salman Khan, appears to be nearing the end of its box office journey. Though the film enjoyed a robust opening fueled by the Eid holiday and Salman’s immense fan base, it has failed to sustain momentum, falling short of expectations and sparking disappointment among both audiences and critics.
The box office figures tell a story of steady decline. On its 12th day, Sikandar brought in an estimated Rs 1.40 crore, pushing its total worldwide earnings to Rs 174.90 crore. Earlier in the week, the trend was already apparent—Wednesday’s collection was down to Rs 1.35 crore from Rs 1.5 crore on Tuesday. The film’s inability to even cross the Rs 100 crore mark in its opening week marked a sharp contrast to the kind of numbers typically associated with Salman’s festive releases. The first week closed at around Rs 90 crore, a modest sum considering the film’s scale and the holiday window.
Despite its festival timing and the promise of high-octane action, Sikandar failed to click with its target audience. The film’s downfall has largely been attributed to a weak screenplay and an uninspiring storyline, which drew criticism almost immediately. “Word of mouth,” often a driving factor behind box office success, worked against the film, amplifying its shortcomings and discouraging footfall.
Directed by AR Murugadoss, the action drama was expected to be a box office stormer but has instead become one of the lowest-grossing Salman Khan films in recent memory—performing even worse than Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, his underwhelming release from 2023.
The film featured an ensemble cast with names like Kajal Aggarwal, Rashmika Mandanna, Sathyaraj, Prateik Babbar, and Sharman Joshi sharing the screen with the superstar. However, even the collective star power wasn’t enough to elevate the film’s fate. As Sikandar slips into the final phase of its run, it remains a stark reminder that even marquee names and big-budget production can’t guarantee box office glory without a compelling story to back them.
