The much awaited Salman Khan action-thriller has finally hit the big screen with highest occupancy rates in Mumbai. Crossing Rs 7 crore in on its first day, the film is currently running more than 7,800 shows across India. The Salman-Rashmika starrer with the AR Murugadoss directorial showcases an intense performance which has received a 7.2 IMDb rating.

Fans who were eager to witness Salman Khan’s return to the big screen after two years have given positive reviews and rated it more than Salman’s previous performances Kisi ka Bhai Kisi ki Jaan, Sultan and even Tiger Zinda Hai. Fans claim it to be a tear-jerker with powerful action sequences with dance numbers where the audience stood up to dance inside the theatres.

Breaking his own pattern, Salman Khan announced the Sunday release for Sikandar just a day before Eid 2025. However, the film is receiving mixed reaction from audiences as the occupancy rate remains relatively low for a weekend. Also starring Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, Sharman Joshi, and Prateik Babbar in key roles, the film is yet to match the predicted Rs 50 crore opening.

The co-production of Nadiadwala and Salman Khan revolves around the struggles of a young man making his way through a corrupt system. The promising trailer garnered more than a million views in less than 24 hours. However, Sikandar has not been able to match the Rs 22 crore opening for Malayalam film, L2 : Empuraan which became the fastest growing Malayalam film to gross Rs 100 crore in the global box office collection.

Even though Sikandar advance bookings crossed Rs 9 crore, the scanty occupancy rates seem like a troubling sign for Salman Khan fans across India. Despite of the Eid 2025 weekend, Sikandar has grossed Rs 7.36 crore on its first Sunday. While the numbers are likely to increase over the day, the film has fallen prey to online piracy and got leaked in a high-definition quality.

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This online piracy was condemned by trade analyst Komal Nahta, who wrote on X, “It’s the worst nightmare for any producer. A film is being leaked before its theatrical release. Unfortunately, that’s what happened last evening to Sajid Nadiadwala’s ‘Sikandar’, slated to release today in cinemas. The producer had the authorities pull the film down from 600 sites last night, but the harm had been done.” The production team still remains hopeful for increased numbers.