Salman Khan’s new action entertainer Sikandar is turning out to be a good performer at the box office, having easily crossed the ₹100 crore mark in India within eight days of its theatrical run. Released on March 30, 2025, during the festive season of Eid, the movie has been attracting huge crowds despite receiving mixed reviews from critics and audiences.
Directed by AR Murugadoss, Sikandar has Salman Khan playing a tough action-hero role opposite Rashmika Mandanna, who plays the lead lady. The movie also has veteran actor Sathyaraj, Kajal Aggarwal, Sharman Joshi, and Prateik Babbar in key roles. The action-drama is filled with high-octane scenes, emotional turns, and a patriotic tone that has struck a chord with a big chunk of Salman’s fanbase.
On its first day, Sikandar raked in ₹26 crore at the domestic box office. While a bit lower than other recent big-budget releases, the movie had a consistent pace during the first week, finally raking in ₹90.25 crore by day seven. On day eight, the movie added another ₹4.25 crore to its tally, taking it over the much-desired ₹100 crore mark.
Worldwide, Sikandar is also doing well, having reportedly crossed ₹200 crore in global gross collections. This is a positive note for the makers, given the difficulties the film encountered in its early days, including a large piracy leak. The entire film was leaked on the internet just a few hours before its actual release, making the producers anxious. Even after taking immediate legal action to have the pirated material removed from over 600 sites, the harm had already been partly done. Nonetheless, the brand value and popularity of the movie worked in its favor to minimize the blow to a significant extent.
While the fans have appreciated the size of the film, the action, and Salman Khan’s larger-than-life figure, the critics have been divided. Some of the reviews referred to a poor script and disappointing direction, saying that although the film excels in action, it lacks emotional depth and coherence in the story. Rashmika Mandanna’s performance has also been questioned, with some of the reviewers mentioning her unimpressive delivery of dialogue and absence of effective scenes.
Despite such criticisms, Sikandar reminds us of Salman Khan’s unshakeable hold at the box office. The box office success of the film is testimony to the actor’s continued stronghold over the Eid release window—a phase traditionally more sympathetic to his movies.
In the future, Sikandar should be able to sustain its box office streak in the weeks to come, particularly with minimal competition from new releases. If the momentum continues, the movie might cross even larger milestones in the weeks to come.
With its mass appeal, action-oriented narrative, and festive timing, Sikandar might not be a critics’ darling, but it certainly knows how to win at the box office.
