Bollywood trade has had a simple mantra for over a decade.
It wasn't a prediction - it was the rules. From Wanted (2009) to Sultan (2016), Eid Salman's Territory was an unwavering cash fortress. But Sikandar in 2025 may just have rewritten this rule - or even more worry.
Margin: 27.50 cr. Sikandar couldn't maintain the opening at the box office. Piracy was a problem, but this was a symptom, not a disease. A real problem? Content that you haven't clicked.
Bharat opened at Rs. 42.30 cr. Sultan of Rs. 36.54 Cr. Well, there were few scars past Sikandar - Salman's top-id - opener list, five - Bajrangi Baijaan.
Three drops were sudden during the day. The collection was attacked, football disappeared, and exhibitors repeatedly reported more strikes than they viewed. Even his most loyal fans could not defend the film beyond his thrill on the first day. Let's take a look at the cold and hard numbers of Salman's Oath:
Opening Day Film (¹cr.)
Bharat 42.30
Sultan 36.54
Ek Tha Tiger 32.93
Race 3 28.50
Sikandar 27.50
Bajrangi Bhaijaan 27.25
Kick 26.40
Tubelight 21.15
Bodyguard 21.60
kisi ka bhai kisi ki jaan 15.81
Patterns are now visible: strong openings, but bad legs. And then the guarantee of the oath falls apart.
Previously, exhibitor Salman films blindly reserved a vowed publication with premium prices and large screen allocations. However, after Tobelight and recently Kkbkkj and Sikandar, trade is cautious. The "Salman-on-e-er" brand is no longer the previous Hot Ticket. There is concern and no excitement. Pathaan (case 543 cr.), Jawan (Rs. 640 cr.), and even animals (Rs. 500 + cr.) have been proven. Eid no longer gives excuses to mediocre.
Sikandar tried to use the "Mass + Emotion + Action" expression in old school, but it lacked execution. There was no heart in the Bajrangi heart, no adrenaline at the sultan level, and no kick-like freshness. What remained was a hollow vehicle that had passed through for a long time.
Salman Outlook no longer has weak actions. Audiences are currently seeking advancements in the story, not just slow motion entries. Young fans are more associated with Al Arjunz Pushpa or Srks Vikram Rasore than Matismo, who is outdated to Salmans. Even Salman's punchline feels recycled - repeating the character from 10 years ago. And perhaps most importantly: the novelty is gone. The Aktion + Bhai + Eid combination was milked - and that shows.
The connection between Salman and his audience was once innate.
You didn't just look at him - you felt it. In Bajrangi Bhaijaan he made you cry. In the Sultan, he created roots for you for his redemption. today? The characters are of a grade where most of them are not complicated and drowned in soulless sights. The emotional currency that made it invincible was amortized.
Eid has changed. Post-pandemic audiences are selective. They crave money, event-scale experiences, or rich storytelling. There are no Kkbkkj or Sikandar. The festival will increase buzz, but no longer compensate for weak content. Previously, weak films could force festival dominance. This will drop faster as reviews, spoilers and pirated copies were made within hours.
Eid is still a big publishing window - there is no more magic wand. So, has times gone by? This is the truth
Salman Khan can still open wide. He is a brand, and the opening of Shikandar proves he continues to pull. However, the idea that Salman Khan's films will tackle the oath by default has ended. That's what's been made. This is history.
In the future, Salman will need more powerful scripts, younger or more relevant directors, reinventions, and fresh text messaging teams who understand today's audience.
If he doesn't adapt, Eid is an opportunity to miss out on. There is no further guarantee.
Once he did this he was able to own the festival again.
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