Trade experts predict Rs 50 crore opening for Salman Khan’s ‘Sikandar’

Mumbai, Mar 29 (PTI) Superstar Salman Khan’s new Eid release, action drama “Sikandar”, is expected to earn around Rs 40 to 50 crore at the box office on the opening day, say trade experts.

“Sikandar”, directed by A R Murugadoss, is Salman’s first film in two years that is releasing on the festival of Eid. His last film was “Tiger 3”, which came out around Diwali in 2023.

Since the trailer dropped earlier this month, the buzz has been decent for the action movie, which also stars Rashmika Mandanna.

“With early estimates pointing to a Rs 50 crore opening on Sunday and a strong box office run ahead, ‘Sikandar’ is all set to bring audiences together for an unforgettable cinematic experience,” Gautam Dutta, CEO-Revenue & Operations, PVR INOX Ltd, said in a statement.

Salman Khan’s films have become synonymous with Eid, turning the festival into a highly anticipated event for his fans.

Over the years, his Eid releases, including “Wanted”, “Dabangg”, “Bodyguard”, “Kick”, “Sultan”, and “Bajrangi Bhaijaan”, have consistently dominated the box office, drawing massive crowds to theatres.

However, his last Eid film — “Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan” (2023) — did not live up to the hype, something that Salman hopes to break with “Sikandar”.

Mumbai-based exhibitor and distributor Rajesh Thadani said he is optimistic about a good opening for the movie.

“Salman’s film is releasing on Eid, and everyone looks forward to watching his movies in theatres during this holiday period. However, the collection on Sunday evening shows will drop because of Eid, but in the morning or afternoon, it will open well. The film should do a lifetime collection of Rs. 200 to 300 crore; not sure if it will Rs 500 crores because it all depends on the content,” Thadani told PTI.

Vishek Chauhan, who has a theatre chain in Bihar, said the excitement among Khan’s fanbase will drive ticket sales significantly.

He is hopeful the film will mint Rs 60 to 70 crores in the first two days of its release.

“The fan base of Salman Khan is excited about the film. It should get an opening of Rs 25 to 30 crores, but it will not be that great because it is an Eid holiday, but on Monday, it will be Rs. 40 to 50 crores,” Chauhan told PTI.

Chauhan pointed out that the response to “Sikandar’s” trailer has been more positive compared to Salman’s previous Eid release, “Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan”.

“The trailer is better received… My cinema is sold out,” he said, adding, they’ve retained the regular ticket prices of Rs 200-250 for the film.

Ashish Saksena, COO – Cinemas, BookMyShow, said the advance bookings numbers of the platforms show a “strong traction across key markets”.

“Salman Khan’s return to the big screen in a leading role after nearly two years has amplified excitement, particularly in mass circuits where his fan base remains unmatched….

“Early trends suggest robust pre-release momentum, particularly in the Hindi-speaking belt, setting the stage for a strong opening day. Given the excitement surrounding the film, we anticipate solid occupancy across theatres and a promising start to the weekend, further fuelled by the festive fervour,” he said in a statement.

Some industry insiders, however, had mixed response to film’s box office potential.

Trade analyst Komal Nahta said the initial buzz surrounding “Sikandar” is less.

“Till the teaser came out, the buzz was way below the mark, but after the trailer on Monday, things improved. But it is yet not of the level you expect from a Salman Khan film,” he told PTI.

According to Nahta, the advance booking of “Sikandar” is not up to the mark.

“It is verifiable by facts. The advance is not good but sometimes films work big time in current booking. That’s why I would not like to put a number (for the opening day),” the trade expert added.

Raj Bansal, a well-known film distributor and director of Entertainment Paradise in Jaipur, is also not too optimistic about the movie.

“The buzz around advance booking is not as much as expected, though it is unfair to run down a movie without watching it,” Bansal told PTI.

“Today, Rs 300 crore has become the lowest benchmark for a hit film; if the film is good, then it will make Rs 500 to 700 crores” he added.

In Gujarat, Ajay Bagdai, a distributor from Rajkot, said the advance booking is underwhelming.

“The advance is not that good; it is below our expectations. I’ve five screens, we will run ‘Sikandar’ on three screens. The film will do well on Sunday and Monday due to the festive holiday,” Bagdai told PTI.

Chennai-based trade analyst Ramesh Bala noted that despite the presence of Rashmika Mandanna and Murugadoss, the film may struggle in South India, where anticipation is higher for Malayalam movie “L2: Empuraan”.

“The buzz in the South market is more for ‘L2: Empuraan’. There are quite a few other films as well that have been released like Vikram’s ‘Veera Dheera Sooran’ and Telugu film ‘Robinhood’. The word-of-mouth in the Hindi belt for ‘Sikandar’ will determine how it will do in the south region,” Bala told PTI.

The film is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala.