Sikandar’s day 1 collection fails to beat L2 Empuraan’s, opens at just half of Jawan’s

Salman Khan’s much-anticipated Eid release, Sikandar, hit theaters on March 30, marking his return to the festive box office after a two-year gap. The film was expected to reignite his dominance at the ticket counters following the underwhelming performance of Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan in 2023. However, despite the grand release, Sikandar failed to make an impressive impact on its opening day, earning ₹54 crore worldwide, one of the actor’s lowest opening-day collections in years.

In the current cinematic landscape, where Bollywood films often see domestic openings surpassing ₹50 crore, Sikandar’s numbers appear modest. The movie managed to cross the ₹50 crore mark globally, but such a figure, which might have been celebrated a decade ago, now feels underwhelming, particularly for a Salman Khan starrer. The film also fell short of achieving the highest Indian film opening of the year, a title currently held by Mohanlal’s Malayalam thriller L2: Empuraan, which raked in ₹67 crore worldwide on its first day.

Despite being Salman’s first Eid release in two years, Sikandar did not witness strong advance bookings, contributing to its lukewarm opening. Reports indicate that the film collected ₹26 crore net in India, which is even lower than Chhaava’s ₹31 crore first-day collection. While the worldwide total helped it surpass Chhaava slightly, the gap was primarily covered through overseas earnings rather than domestic success. Comparisons with Jawan, Shah Rukh Khan’s 2023 blockbuster that amassed ₹109 crore on its opening day, further highlight the disappointing performance of Sikandar.

Negative reviews and mixed audience reception appear to have dampened the film’s momentum, with no significant improvement in footfalls during evening shows. The real test for Sikandar now lies in its second day, particularly given the extended holiday period due to Eid. A strong Monday performance could determine if the film can recover from its slow start or continue its downward trajectory.

Adding to its challenges, Sikandar also fell victim to online piracy just hours before its theatrical release. The film was leaked on Saturday night, spreading rapidly across unauthorized platforms. Trade analyst Komal Nahta reported that the producers took swift action, working with authorities to have the film removed from approximately 600 websites. However, the damage had already been done, with pirated copies continuing to circulate, potentially affecting its box office prospects further.

Directed by AR Murugadoss, Sikandar marks Salman Khan’s return to the silver screen alongside an ensemble cast featuring Rashmika Mandanna, Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, and Sharman Joshi. Despite high expectations, the film’s lukewarm reception and piracy concerns have created a rocky start for what was meant to be a grand Eid comeback for the Bollywood superstar.