There’s an uneasy silence surrounding Salman Khan’s upcoming film, Sikandar, and it’s not the kind of anticipation you’d expect before a big Eid release. From the very start, things have felt off. The film was announced suddenly, rushed into production, and wrapped up at lightning speed. Now, with its release just around the corner, whispers of doubt have turned into loud concerns. Is Sikandar racing towards disaster, or can Salman’s popularity produce a miracle of sorts at the last minute?
Rushed Production Raises Eyebrows
The very first red flag was raised when the project was first announced. AR Murugadoss, who is renowned for his elaborate storytelling and fine action sequences, suddenly shelved his film with Sivakarthikeyan to get into Sikandar. The film went on the floors in a matter of days, and before anyone knew what was happening, the entire shoot was over in record time.
There were doubts raised over this hasty spurt. How was a big-budget action entertainer able to complete the shoot so hastily and yet deliver on quality? It appears those fears were not unfounded. The haste of the shoot was already starting to manifest in the pre-release promotional material, with audiences spotting numerous errors and discrepancies.
Promotional Missteps and Negative Buzz
In Bollywood, a Salman Khan movie is more often than not an event itself. His films, particularly at the time of the Eid festival, tend to have big advertising campaigns, nice songs, and action-oriented teasers. In Sikandar, however, the promotional elements did the complete opposite — generated skepticism instead of anticipation.
The largest point of discussion was the lip-sync blunder in the trailer. People were left stumped by the oversight, wondering if the film had been processed hastily through post-production. Even the music couldn’t leave its impression — a rare failure for a Salman Khan film, where music usually goes a long way in generating hype.
Box Office Predictions: A Tough Road Ahead
A Salman Khan movie that releases on Eid Sunday typically guarantees an opening of ₹50 crore+ in India. But that does not seem to be the case this time around. Considering the lack of buzz around the movie, even half of it seems like a pipe dream. For a celebrity of Salman Khan’s caliber, this is unprecedented.
The box office is more volatile than ever before. While strong content movies are bringing people to theaters, actor-centric vehicles like Sikandar take more than a big name to guarantee a success. Word is alarmingly slow before its release, and barring the initial shows getting universally acclaimed reviews, the movie is in danger of fighting an uphill battle from day one.
Last-Minute Changes: Reason to Worry or Hope?
Another turn of events in the story was the adjustment of the runtime of the film. Originally censored at 150 minutes, the producers made a drastic move to cut 14 minutes from the final version, shortening the runtime to 135 minutes and 47 seconds. Such extreme cuts so near release suggest some degree of panic in the background.
Was the movie dragging? Did test screenings identify pacing problems? Or was this in an effort to enhance the storytelling and make the action scenes more impactful? Whatever the motive, it adds yet another dimension of doubt to Sikandar’s quest.
The Silver Lining: Can Word of Mouth Save the Day?
In spite of the dismal indications, all is not lost. Salman Khan still has a huge fan following. His charm and action-hero image may appeal to the masses if the movie succeeds in providing good entertainment. Furthermore, AR Murugadoss is a master of suspenseful storytelling — if the movie can surprise with a good story and well-handled action, it might change the course.
The fate of the film will heavily rest on the audience response on the first day. In the social media era, good word of mouth can go viral and save a poor opening. Salman Khan and AR Murugadoss both need a hit at this point, and Sikandar may just be that savior — but only if the material resonates with the audience.
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Will Sikandar Rise or Fall?
With only a couple of days to go before its release, the heat is on. The early signs may be inauspicious, but it is a comeback tale that Bollywood is prone to. Salman Khan’s box office star power and the magnetism of a mass entertainer could still carry the day at the box office. The only question that persists is: will Sikandar be able to come good, or will it turn out to be a cautionary tale of hurried filmmaking?
Everyone’s eyes are now fixed on March 27. Sikandar will either sink or fly, but one thing is for sure — it’s going to be a thrilling ride in the box office.
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