KATHMANDU: Salman Khan’s much-anticipated film Sikandar, which hit theaters a day before Eid, has had a disappointing opening at the box office. According to Bollywood trade analysts, the film managed to collect only ₹30.06 crore net on its opening day, failing to secure a spot in Salman’s top five highest openers.

Although the pre-release buzz, Sikandar could not match the opening figures of Salman’s previous Eid outings. His highest opening-day grosser remains Tiger 3 (2023), which grossed ₹43 crore on its opening day. Although Sikandar made a worldwide collection of ₹54 crore, it was short of expectations.

Salman’s other major openers include Bharat, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, Sultan, and Tiger Zinda Hai. Analysts predict that the film’s earnings might see a boost on Monday due to the Eid holiday, but the real test for Sikandar will begin afterward.

Adding to the film’s woes, it even failed to surpass the opening collection of Chhava, starring Vicky Kaushal, which grossed ₹31 crore net in India. Trade expert Taran Adarsh noted that the film faced challenges due to mixed reviews and online piracy, yet still managed a decent opening under these circumstances.

One more reason for Sikandar’s box office performance is the release of L2: Empuraan, a Malayalam movie featuring Mohanlal, which has taken away from Sikandar’s collections.

Eid has been Salman Khan’s lucky period for release all along, and his last few Eid releases have become blockbusters. Expecting parallel pre-release momentum, Sikandar was expected to command a minimum of ₹35 crore net, but unimpressive reviews have slowed its pace.

The film has been directed by A.R. Murugadoss, and Salman is the lead actor playing Sikandar, along with Rashmika Mandanna, Satyaraj, and Prateik Babbar. The film has time to catch up, but if Sikandar can make use of Eid celebrations or extend its poor box office performance remains to be seen.