Salman Khan's new release Sikandar earned Rs 33 crore on the occasion of Eid on March 31, recording a slightly better performance compared to its opening day. The film, which was released in theatres on Mar. 30, has earned a total of Rs 63.42 crore across all languages at the domestic box office.
"Sikandar recorded a 10.98% growth on Monday (Day 2) due to the Eid holiday. However, the numbers should have been much higher—ideally in the Rs 45 crore range—considering Salman Khan's strong track record on Eid and the fact that Sikandar had the biggest release ever for a Hindi film in India," film critic Taran Adarsh said on Tuesday.
He also described Khan's new release as "dull," calling it an overall "letdown" in terms of screenplay, music, direction, and even performances.
#Sikandar recorded a 10.98% growth on Monday [Day 2], #Eid holiday… However, the numbers should have been much, much higher – ideally in the ₹ 45 cr range – considering #SalmanKhan's strong track record on #Eid and also the fact that #Sikandar had the biggest release ever for a… pic.twitter.com/J9uRPbINlk
April 1, 2025The film, which also received average reviews from audiences, is witnessing about 25-33% occupancy in the theaters, according to media platform Sacnilk. The report said that the movie had an overall 24.60% Hindi occupancy on Monday.
"Sky-high expectations from Salman Khan, but all that glitters is not gold," Adarsh said on X on Mar. 30. He further said that Sikandar could be Salman's one of the "weakest" films and its content does not do justice to Khan's stardom. According to Adash, Sikandar's real test will begin on Wednesday.
The reviews will be a setback for Khan and his fans, as his Eid releases have been a long-standing tradition and usually promise to be one of the blockbusters of the year.
The film features Rashmika Mandanna as lead actress. Other prominent actors include Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, Sharman Joshi, and Prateik Smita Patil.
Sikandar, directed by A. R. Murugadoss, faced a major setback just hours before its release when its HD print was leaked online. While the makers worked to remove the pirated links from different internet websites, the incident is expected to hurt its business significantly.
Sikandar is Salman's first film in two years that released on the festival of Eid. His last film was Tiger 3, which came out around Diwali in 2023.
Over the years, his Eid releases, including Wanted, Dabangg, Bodyguard, Kick, Sultan, and Bajrangi Bhaijaan, consistently dominated the box office, drawing massive crowds to theatres. However, his last Eid film -- Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (2023) -- did not live up to the hype.
(With PTI inputs)
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