Salman Khan's Sikandar faces box office failure, replaced by Empuraan, Gujarati Films in Mumbai theatres

Salman Khan’s Sikandar fails to impress at the box office, with Mumbai theatres replacing it with other films like Empuraan and regional Gujarati releases. 

Salman Khan's much-anticipated film, Sikandar, has had a rocky start at the box office, failing to meet audience expectations. The film, despite the hype surrounding it, has been pulled from several theaters across Mumbai due to its disappointing performance. After a poor turnout over the weekend, theater owners have opted to replace Sikandar with other films, including Empuraan, The Diplomat, and even Gujarati films.

Reports indicate that shows of Sikandar at INOX in Kandivali and Raghuleela Mall in Mumbai were swapped for the Gujarati film Umbarro, while the 9:30 pm show on April 1 was replaced by The Best Pandya, another Gujarati movie. Theater owners reportedly find these regional films more profitable due to their larger viewership compared to Sikandar, which has been struggling to attract audiences.

At other popular multiplexes like Cinepolis Seawoods and PVR Orion Mall, the 5:30 pm and 9:30 pm slots of Sikandar have been taken over by Empuraan, which stars Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Despite the controversies surrounding Empuraan, it has proven to be a stronger draw at the box office. Similarly, the 8 pm and 8:30 pm shows at INOX Nariman Point and Metro INOX have been replaced by John Abraham’s The Diplomat, which has maintained steady audiences since its release in March.

Sikandar, which was made on a budget of Rs 200 crore, had a disappointing start with just Rs 26 crore on its opening day. Although it saw a small rise in earnings to Rs 29 crore on Day 2, the film’s performance dropped sharply on Day 3, earning just Rs 19.50 crore. With its total box office collection now standing at Rs 74.50 crore, Sikandar has been a major letdown, despite Salman Khan's star power.

This failure echoes a growing trend in Bollywood, where even big-budget films like Tejas and Lal Salaam have struggled to perform, proving that star power alone isn't enough to guarantee box office success.