Salman Khan’s box office pull continues to decline with Sikandar serving as another reminder that star power alone can’t make up for poor storytelling and same old tired formulas.
Once a king of box office, Salman Khan is now struggling with a shifting cinematic landscape that no longer guarantees success through sheer star power alone. Salman Khan’s Sikandar has turned out to be yet another failure for the ‘Dabangg’ star, drawing harsh criticism and being widely labeled a disaster by audiences and critics.
Titles like Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan and Radhe failed to revive Khan’s mass appeal, with critics and fans alike citing weak plot and outdated dated tropes. Even the Tiger franchise which was once considered a dependable blockbuster machine, has shown signs of fatigue, as predictable plots dampen audience interest.
Looks like hiring well known co actors is also not saving Khan’s movies into becoming a disaster. These latest flop films had well known Indian actors like Shehnaz Gill, Pooja Hegde, Palak Tiwari, Disha Patani and Rashmika Mandanna yet they were not able to appeal the audience.
What Went Wong?
It’s high time actors and filmmakers realize that audiences have evolved. Gone are the days when a familiar plot, a few over-the-top action scenes, and a star-studded cast could guarantee box office success. Today’s moviegoer is savvier, pickier, and far less forgiving. Sikandar is a prime example of what happens when you rely too heavily on outdated formulas and forget that the audience has moved on.
With streaming platforms like Netflix and Prime Video offering a buffet of high-quality, genre-bending content from around the world, the bar has been raised. People now expect their cinema experiences to be just as gripping, nuanced, and well-crafted as what they watch at home—if not more. That’s why films led by younger, hungrier Bollywood actors or South Indian stars with fresh narratives and tight screenplays are turning heads.
Following the release of Sikandar, the maker had to deal with the problem of movie being leaked online for streaming and download. This proved to be a massive setback even though the makers claim they were able to take down all the links.
As this shift unfolds, Salman Khan’s old-school approach to filmmaking, once synonymous with box office treasure is beginning to feel outdated. With Sikandar failing to spark excitement, it raises pressing questions about the relevance of formula-driven stardom in a rapidly evolving movie industry.
Unless Khan adapts to the new demands of storytelling and audience expectations, his once-unshakable dominance over the action genre may continue to decline, only time will tell.
‘Sikandar’ also features Rashmika Mandanna, Kajal Aggarwal, Sharman Joshi, Prateik Smita Patil, and Sathyaraj in key roles. Sajid Nadiadwala has bankrolled the title with AR Murugadoss at the helm.
Here are some interesting reactions from movie goers after the film was released
‘Wo bhi kya din the’
#Sikandar is a dull action drama with a lifeless story that fails to engage. The background music is very bad, and except for a few decent action scenes, there’s nothing to enjoy. Biggest disaster for Salman and AR Murugadoss combo.
Sikandar feels like a moral science lecture stuck on repeat same message, three times all over its runtime.
Tbh, #SalmanKhan NEVER looked this UNINTERESTED in any film. His dialogue delivery in #SIKANDAR is flat. Also, it’s one of those rare films where not a single actor in the film delivered a good performance. Director #ARMurugadoss was out of form. Of course, personal opinion.
#Sikandar is an action drama that bores from start to finish due to its outdated and bland screenplay. The storyline idea may have been emotional on paper. However, it feels lifeless and somewhat silly when translated on screen. The whole movie feels like a mix of many movies we’ve seen before and has absolutely no freshness. BGM is out of sync and bad. Apart from a few alright action blocks, this one has nothing to offer. Bad!
If you’ve seen the movie, let us know what you think?
Sources: India today, pinkvilla, the statesman
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