When the name of superstar Salman Khan is attached to a banner, people have a certain level of expectation from him. Considering the past few projects of the superstar, audience expectations were already quite low.
However, with Sikandar, Salman somehow managed to disappoint even those with low expectations.
This has led many to question Salman Khan’s stardom.
However, several trade analysts like Taran Adarsh and Girish Johar believe that Salman Khan’s star power is still intact.
They argue that Salman still holds tremendous mass appeal. Regardless of the film’s merit, its business can be credited to one man- Salman Khan. His grip on the mass circuits remains strong.
They mentioned that if even a film as poorly made as Sikandar can collect ₹25–30 crores on the opening day because of Salman alone, one can only imagine how much a well-made film starring him would earn.
People had high hopes from the film, especially since director A.R. Murugadoss and producer Sajid Nadiadwala were associated with the project.
For such a strong team to deliver a subpar film was disappointing for fans.
It’s unfortunate that even after such a poor response from the audience, many trade analysts continue to sugarcoat things by insisting Salman’s stardom is untouchable.
The industry has evolved. For a superstar film to collect only ₹25 crores on its opening day, which happened to be a Sunday, is disappointing, to say the least.
Films without superstars have been crossing the ₹50-crore mark on their first day.
A ₹25 crore opening for a Salman Khan film isn’t something to celebrate- it’s a warning sign. Stardom alone can no longer save a film or an actor, no matter how big the name is.
