Salman Khan’s Sikandar Faces Stiff Competition from Pushpa 2

Salman Khan’s new film Sikandar premiered on March 30, as audiences flock to theaters. Despite promising initial figures, the film faces steep competition from Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2: The Rule, which remains the highest-grossing Indian film, setting new benchmarks in box office earnings.

Box office tracking data from Sacnilk shows that Pushpa 2 generated Rs 12.8 crore from special previews and achieved Rs 196.4 crore on its opening day in the domestic market. In contrast, Sikandar managed a gross of Rs 30.06 crore on its debut. On the second day, Sikandar earned Rs 39.37 crore while Pushpa 2 collected Rs 112.1 crore. The two-day total for Sikandar stands at Rs 69.43 crore, compared to Pushpa 2’s record-setting Rs 321.3 crore.

Released on December 5, Pushpa 2: The Rule has amassed a lifetime collection of Rs 1,470.25 crore. Directed by Sukumar, the film stars Allu Arjun, with Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh Faasil, and Jagapathi Babu in prominent roles. The film is currently available for streaming on Netflix.

In Sikandar, the pairing of Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna marks their first collaboration. The film, directed by AR Murugadoss, also features performances by Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, and Sharman Joshi. Despite a promising start at the box office, industry analysts note that Sikandar faces an uphill task in matching the record-breaking success of Pushpa 2.