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Star cast: Salman Khan, Rashmika Mandanna, Sharman Joshi, Sathyaraj, Prateik Babbar, Kishore, Kajal Aggarwal, and Anjini Dhawan.
Director: AR Murugadoss
Producers: Sajid Nadiadwala
Sikandar Box Office Review: Pre-Release Buzz & Expectations
The post-pandemic phase has been tough for all Salmaniacs to deal with, and the reason is known to everyone. One after another, Salman Khan delivered flops, and the superstar, once known as the box office emperor, is struggling to find his form. Out of all the failures, films like Radhe and Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan hurt fans the most due to their poor reputation. Unfortunately, Sikandar, too, is ready to join the list. But things were never like this when the film was announced.
Remember the first look of Salman Khan from Sikandar’s sets breaking the internet? Seeing him alongside AR Murugadoss raised high hopes among everyone, and everyone was sure about Salman’s 2.0 version in the post-pandemic era. Even the announcement teaser that was dropped later built the perfect buzz for the film. But afterward, things went downhill.
The makers failed to promote it like a magnum opus, and the promotional assets were subpar. None of the assets sparked excitement, be it the actual teaser, songs, or trailers. As a result, there was no solid hype on the ground level days before the release, and the result was seen in underwhelming pre-sales of just above the 10 crore mark despite a Sunday release.
Initially, Sikandar was expected to be a record opener for Salman Khan, but with the buzz failing to take off, the opening day expectations fell up to a start of 30-35 crores.
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Sikandar Box Office Review: Initial Start, Positives & Negatives
Though advance booking for the opening was below expectations, Sikandar was expected to compensate for it via heavy on-the-spot bookings. Salman Khan is well known for attracting the audience through on-the-spot bookings, and even this time, Salman’s brand did its job. However, it wasn’t enough compared to today’s high benchmarks of the Indian box office, and estimates suggest that it has failed to outshine Chhaava (33.10 crores), a non-holiday release, on day 1.
Talking about the positives, Sikandar has managed to secure the widest screen count ever for a Hindi film. Across the nation, it has got around 5,500 screens and 22,000 shows each day. This is huge, and it automatically pushes the potential of the business. Even with decent to good occupancy, the film has an opportunity to post a solid number on the board.
Another thing is that there’s no competition in front of the Salman Khan starrer. It’s a solo run in the Hindi belt, and even holdovers like Chhaava will have no impact. The makers have adopted a blockbuster pricing strategy for the film, which boosts the overall business. However, this strategy is like a double-edged sword as it can also have a repulsive effect among moviegoers due to its high rates.
Coming to negatives, Sikandar has opened to mostly mixed to negative reviews, which are spreading like wildfire on social media. These negative reactions have already started denting the film’s potential audience base. Just like Race 3, Radhe, and Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, the magnum opus is turning out to be a meme fest for all the wrong reasons, which indicates tough times ahead.
After today’s Eid holiday, the film is likely to witness brutal drops due to negativity and unfavorable word-of-mouth. Salman’s star power will attract some footfall, but other than that, there’s no substance in the film that assures consistent footfall on a daily basis. If not worse, the biggie is definitely heading to be one of the biggest flops for the superstar in the last few years.
Sikandar Box Office Review: Final Verdict
On the whole, Sikandar, other than Salman Khan’s brand, has nothing working in its favor. The content isn’t exciting enough to drive neutrals to theatres, making the film’s journey miserable during regular weekdays. Yes, the Sunday release and Eid holiday ensure an entry into the 100 crore club, but that’s the least expected of any magnum opus today.
Considering the huge budget and Salman Khan’s presence, Sikandar was expected to run riot at the Indian box office, but that’s not happening now, as it is likely to wrap up its run at 125-145 crore net. So, it’s another Eid failure for Salman after Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, indicating the loss of the Midas touch the actor used to enjoy a few years back.
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more box office stories and updates!
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