Sikandar Box Office Collection Day 3: Salman Khan’s Eid Release Falters, Nets ₹74 Crore in India
Mumbai, April 1, 2025 – Salman Khan’s much-hyped action drama Sikandar, directed by A.R. Murugadoss, has hit a speed bump at the box office on its third day, struggling to maintain the momentum of its Eid 2025 release. After a promising start, the film—produced by Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and Salman Khan Films—earned an estimated ₹19 crore net in India on Tuesday, bringing its three-day domestic total to ₹74 crore, according to early estimates from industry tracker Sacnilk. Worldwide, the tally stands at approximately ₹115 crore, but the film’s trajectory suggests it may fall short of the blockbuster expectations set by Khan’s past Eid triumphs.
A Modest Opening Weekend
Sikandar kicked off on Sunday, March 30—a day before Eid-ul-Fitr—with a decent ₹26 crore net in India, bolstered by a wide release across 5,500 screens and over 22,000 shows daily, the largest ever for a Hindi film. Day 2, coinciding with the Eid holiday, saw a slight uptick to ₹29 crore net, driven by a 40-45% occupancy spike in evening and night shows, particularly in single-screen theaters and mass circuits. However, the anticipated holiday surge failed to materialize fully, with analysts noting that collections hovered below the ₹40 crore mark many had projected for an Eid Monday.
Tuesday’s Day 3 figures paint a starker picture: a 34% drop from Day 2, with an overall Hindi occupancy of 17.26%—down from 24.60% the previous day. Morning shows languished at 6.87%, per Sacnilk, though evening shows climbed to 25.99% before night data trickled in. The film’s performance has been strongest in single screens and Hindi heartland markets like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, but multiplexes in urban centers like Mumbai and Delhi have shown a noticeable dip, reflecting mixed word-of-mouth.
Falling Short of Expectations
With a reported budget of ₹200 crore (excluding Khan’s fee), Sikandar faces pressure to hit ₹200 crore domestically to break even, a threshold it’s pacing behind. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh noted on X that while the film “performs well” relative to its mass appeal, its ₹30 crore Day 1 haul didn’t crack Khan’s top five opening days—lagging behind Bharat (₹42.30 crore), Tiger 3 (₹44.5 crore), and Sultan (₹36.54 crore). “Given post-pandemic trends, ₹40 crore+ was expected,” Adarsh wrote, pinning hopes on a post-Eid recovery.
Comparisons to 2025’s top openers sting further. Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava notched ₹31 crore on its first day in February, while Mohanlal’s L2: Empuraan—released just four days earlier—raked in ₹67 crore worldwide on its opening day, dwarfing Sikandar’s global Day 1 gross of ₹54.72 crore (per makers’ claims). Khan’s own Tiger Zinda Hai, his highest-grossing film at ₹339.16 crore net, feels like a distant benchmark as Sikandar battles to join the ₹500-crore club—a milestone Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and others have already crossed.
Piracy and Reception Dent Prospects
The film’s rocky ride isn’t solely economic. Hours before its March 30 premiere, Sikandar was leaked online across platforms like Telegram, with trade analyst Komal Nahta reporting efforts to scrub it from 600+ websites. While the leak’s full impact remains unclear, it’s a blow to a movie banking on theatrical footfalls. Posts on X suggest pirated HD prints may have siphoned off casual viewers, with one user lamenting, “Why pay when it’s free online?”
Critically, Sikandar has been a letdown. The Times of India gave it a tepid 2/5, calling its storyline “predictable” and action “uninspired,” while Hindustan Times dubbed it “dull” despite Khan’s star power. Audience reactions on X are split—some laud Khan’s “epic entry” and Rashmika Mandanna’s charm, but others decry a “flat screenplay” and “outdated” formula. “Salman needs to ditch these masala reruns,” one user posted, reflecting a growing fatigue with the star’s signature style.
What Lies Ahead?
Sikandar’s cast—featuring Rashmika Mandanna, Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, Sharman Joshi, and Prateik Babbar—promised a fresh pairing, but the film’s fate now hinges on its weekday hold. Exhibitor Raj Bansal remains cautiously optimistic, telling Mint, “Content will decide its run, but the Eid jump gives it legs.” Sacnilk projects a ₹15–20 crore net for Day 3, with single screens likely to prop up numbers as multiplexes wane.
Overseas, the film has added ₹30 crore to its kitty after two days, with North America contributing $1.02 million (₹8.68 crore) by Day 3, per X posts from @THEPANIPURI. Yet, its global haul trails Empuraan’s ₹200 crore weekend, underscoring a competitive March slate.
As Sikandar navigates its first week, the question looms: can Khan’s star power and festive timing salvage a middling start, or will this Eid release join Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (₹110.53 crore net) as another underperformer? For now, the box office verdict is clear—Sikandar is fighting an uphill battle to reclaim Bollywood’s Eid throne.
