Despite hitting the ₹100 crore mark in just over a week, Salman Khan’s big Eid release, Sikandar, appears to be running out of steam far too early.
It had all the right ingredients—holiday buzz, a massy hero, and sky-high expectations. But after a cracking start, the numbers are slowly losing their shine. There’s improvement in weekend trends, but the momentum isn’t anywhere near where it should be for a film of this scale.
A Grand Opening, Then a Fast Fade
The film roared out of the gates on March 30 with an opening day haul of ₹26 crore across all languages.
Just a day later, as Eid celebrations peaked, so did Sikandar’s earnings. ₹29 crore poured in, making it the movie’s biggest single-day total.
But what followed wasn’t celebration—it was a slump.
By the end of its first week, the film had collected ₹90.25 crore in the domestic market. That’s a healthy number on paper, sure, but the drop after Eid was too steep to ignore. The festive spike came and went—fast.
Weekend Bounce Brings Some Hope
The second weekend offered a glimmer of hope.
On Friday, the film managed ₹3.5 crore. Saturday was a bit better with ₹4 crore. Then Sunday wrapped things up at ₹4.5 crore. All in all, around ₹12 crore added to the pot in the second weekend.
And yes, that helped push the overall domestic net total to somewhere around ₹102.25 crore.
But here’s the thing—it wasn’t enough to shift the narrative. Not even close.
One source close to the production said the team had been “quietly concerned” since the mid-week drop. A soft Friday was expected after Eid, but they didn’t expect the momentum to flatline so quickly.
Salman’s Words Before the Release
Before Sikandar even hit screens, Salman himself spoke about the expectations surrounding his movies.
During a press meet, the actor—known for delivering ₹100 crore grossers like clockwork—brushed off pressure. “Festive, non-festive… it’s the affection of people,” he said. “Picture achhi ho ya bhi, 100 million to few karva ho denge.”
He wasn’t wrong.
His audience has a loyalty that’s almost bankable. Even with mixed reviews and modest reception, they show up. At least, initially.
But when a producer cheekily pointed out that ₹100 crore is now “old news,” suggesting ₹200 crore is the new benchmark, Salman laughed. “Haan, 200, 200. 100 bahot pehle ki baat hai.”
That’s where things get tricky.
Because Sikandar is lagging behind that very mark. And while it’s reached the century, it might stop a little short of the double.
How It Stacks Up Against Other Salman Releases
It’s hard not to compare this to previous Eid releases. Here’s a quick table showing how Sikandar lines up against some of Salman’s other festive openers:
| Film | Opening Day (₹ Cr) | First Week Total (₹ Cr) | Final Worldwide (₹ Cr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sultan (2016) | 36.5 | 229.16 | 623.33 |
| Bharat (2019) | 42.3 | 180.05 | 325.58 |
| Kisi Ka Bhai… | 15.81 | 92.26 | 182.44 |
| Sikandar (2024) | 26.0 | 90.25 | ~115* (est. second week) |
*Note: Final worldwide gross for Sikandar is still in progress.
So yeah, even with the ₹100 crore milestone, Sikandar sits at the lower end of Salman’s box office spectrum.
What’s Holding It Back?
The film’s plot, for one, hasn’t generated much buzz.
Some viewers found the story too familiar. The action scenes? Repetitive. And the emotional arc didn’t quite stick the landing for many. Even diehard fans have been surprisingly muted online.
One box office analyst from Mumbai, who tracks daily numbers for major Bollywood releases, pointed to another factor:
“Word of mouth just didn’t catch on the way it usually does with Salman’s Eid films.”
It’s not all bad news though. Overseas numbers have been decent, particularly in the UAE and Gulf markets. That’s expected for Salman, who enjoys a strong following there.
But domestically, the movie is feeling the heat of unmet expectations.
Will It Crawl to ₹200 Crore?
Never say never. But it’s looking unlikely unless something drastic changes.
There’s a chance Sikandar could crawl its way to ₹150 crore, maybe a touch more. But ₹200 crore? That’s a tall order with current trends.
A mid-week bump could help, but the real test is next weekend. If numbers don’t stay steady—or better yet, go up—the fall will be sharper than anyone predicted.
Trade insiders believe the film might need a post-release push: perhaps an OTT drop or discount ticketing to sustain momentum. But even then, the theatrical run looks like it’s tapering off.
Still, no one’s calling it a flop. Just… underwhelming.
