Sikandar Box Office: Strong Demand in Mumbai, Struggles in Other Cities
New Delhi: Salman Khan’s latest film, Sikandar, hit theaters on March 30, opening to packed houses in some locations, especially on Eid. However, the film’s reception has been mixed, with contrasting trends across different cities.
While Mumbai’s G7 multiplex, including the iconic Gaiety-Galaxy, has increased screenings due to strong demand, Sikandar has underperformed in cities like Surat, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, and Indore. Many theaters in these locations have reportedly replaced the film with others due to low turnout.
A trade analyst told Bollywood Hungama, “We didn’t find any show cancellations in Mumbai, though some screenings had single-digit audiences. However, in Surat, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, and Indore—especially in areas with little or no Eid influence—shows were canceled due to poor attendance.”
Kiritbhai T. Vaghasia, owner of The Friday Cinema multiplex in Surat, confirmed the weak response. “Not a single ticket was sold for the 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM shows on Monday. I expected a stronger turnout on Eid, but word-of-mouth seems to have spread quickly, leading to disappointing numbers,” he said.
Due to the low demand, Vaghasia reduced Sikandar’s screenings and replaced two night shows with All The Best Pandya and Umbarro, two Gujarati films drawing steady audiences. “Surprisingly, Umbarro is in its ninth week and still performing well,” he added.
Despite setbacks in some cities, Mumbai remains an exception. Since March 30, Sikandar has been performing well in Gaiety (991 seats) and Galaxy (818 seats), with additional shows introduced from March 31 to meet demand.
In a programming change, L2: Empuraan’s Hindi version, previously screened in both Gossip and Gemini theaters, will now be limited to Gemini to accommodate more Sikandar screenings.
Directed by AR Murugadoss, Sikandar was made on a ₹200 crore budget and stars Rashmika Mandanna as the female lead, alongside Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, and Sharman Joshi.
