Sikandar's release is set for March 30, which falls on a Sunday. Instead of the usual Friday release on March 28, the makers opted for this unusual move to maximize box office potential.
While this strategy has been known for some time, skipping Friday feels unnecessary and could be seen as a sign of weak product. It looks as if the makers are not confident about their film.
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Sikandar was initially trending for a 25-crore opening on March 28. With the new Sunday release, the film's opening could now touch 35 crores.
Given that Eid falls the next day, collections are expected to rise significantly, ideally hitting 45-50 crores or more.
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Even so, these figures may still seem underwhelming compared to Shah Rukh Khan's recent dominance.
SRK delivered a 55-crore opening with Pathaan on a non-holiday (January 25, 2023) and a 65-crore opening with Jawan on a semi-holiday (September 7, 2023).
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To match SRK's current stardom, Salman's Sikandar should ideally hit 50 crores on its opening day and 60 crores on Eid. However, Salman is coming off a rough phase and is working with an out-of-form director like AR Murugadoss.
Despite this, a 40-crore opening on March 30 is a must for Salman to prove his star power. If the film's word of mouth is positive, it should aim for 55 crores or more on Eid.
Salman's biggest opening to date is Tiger 3, which was released on Diwali. While Sikandar is expected to open at around 35 crores, a spectacular trailer could potentially push it past Tiger 3's opening collections.