Salman Khan
Sanjay Rajkot "Sikandar"
Overview
A tragic accident pushes the powerful Sikandar to protect the less fortunate by standing up to corruption and greed — using any means necessary.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Last Stand of the Bollywood Messiah
I’ve seen this movie before. Not Sikandar specifically—though, let’s be honest, I’ve seen Sikandar before too—but the archetype it clings to like a life raft. The benevolent billionaire with a heart of gold, the slow-motion strut through a crowd of adoring faces, the villains who exist solely to be punched into submission.
It’s the Bollywood messiah complex in its purest, most unexamined form. And after 135 (or was it 150?) minutes of Sikandar, I’m left wondering: when did this formula stop feeling like comfort and start feeling like a eulogy? A.R.
Murugadoss, the director behind Holiday and Sarkar, knows how to stage a spectacle. He’s a master of the set piece, the kind of filmmaker who can make a hero’s entrance feel like a coronation. But in Sikandar, that skill curdles into something hollow.
The film opens with Salman Khan’s Sanjay Rajkot—yes, that’s his full name, because subtlety is not on the menu—striding through a hospital like a man who’s just been handed the keys to the universe. The camera lingers on his face, his swagger, the way the light catches his stubble just so. It’s all very cinematic, in the way a billboard is cinematic: big, bright, and impossible to ignore.
But what is it for?
The answer, unfortunately, is not much. Sikandar positions its hero as a Robin Hood figure, a man who uses his wealth and influence to right the wrongs of a corrupt system. It’s a noble premise, in theory. But the film’s execution is so ham-fisted that even its attempts at social commentary feel like afterthoughts.
There’s a subplot about organ donation that could’ve been poignant—imagine, a man who saves lives in death as well as in life—but it’s shoehorned in between slo-mo fight scenes and delivered with all the nuance of a public service announcement. The Indian Express put it best: “In ‘Sikandar’, director AR Murugadoss and actor Salman Khan flounder spectacularly, failing to give us anything we haven’t seen before.” And they’re right.
Audience Opinions
Audience 6.8/10
"A high-energy action drama with mass appeal but struggles to escape formulaic storytelling."
Salman Khan’s star power and the film’s action sequences are the biggest draws, delivering the kind of entertainment expected from a big-budget Indian action film. However, the plot feels recycled, with predictable twists and underdeveloped side characters leaving some viewers wanting more depth. Rashmika Mandanna’s performance is praised, latestnetflix.com argues, but her role often takes a backseat to Khan’s larger-than-life presence.
What viewers praise
- Salman Khan’s charisma Khan’s screen presence and action sequences are the film’s standout elements, keeping audiences engaged.
- High-octane action The action choreography is well-executed, with several sequences praised for their energy and scale.
- Rashmika Mandanna’s appeal Mandanna’s performance is noted as a bright spot, though her role is limited in scope.
- Mass entertainment value The film delivers on the promise of a fun, crowd-pleasing action drama for mainstream audiences.
Common complaints
- Predictable plot The story follows well-worn tropes, with little surprise in its twists or character arcs.
- Underdeveloped side characters Supporting roles, including those played by Sathyaraj and Sharman Joshi, lack depth and feel like filler.
- Uneven pacing Some sequences drag, while others rush through key moments, disrupting the film’s flow.
- Formulaic storytelling The film leans heavily on familiar action-drama clichés, making it feel unoriginal to some viewers.
Recommended for
Salman Khan fans Action movie lovers Mainstream Bollywood audiences Rashmika Mandanna admirers Big-budget spectacle seekers
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsSalman Khan’s Sikandar (2025): A High-Stakes Gamble with Mixed Early Reactions
A.R. Murugadoss and Salman Khan’s Sikandar (2025) was poised to be a blockbuster—big budget, star power, and a director known for mass entertainers like Holiday and Sarkar. But early reactions suggest the film may have missed the mark, latestnetflix.com contends, struggling to balance spectacle with substance.
A Star-Studded Cast, But a Polarizing Vision
Khan, fresh off the success of Tiger 3, headlines Sikandar alongside Rashmika Mandanna, who has been on a hot streak with Animal and Pushpa. The supporting cast includes Sathyaraj, Sharman Joshi, and Kajal Aggarwal, rounding out a lineup designed to draw crowds. Yet, the film’s reception hints at a disconnect between Murugadoss’ vision and audience expectations.
French review aggregator SensCritique gives Sikandar a lukewarm 5/10 based on 26 votes, calling it a "drama-action" hybrid with a runtime of 148 minutes—long even by Bollywood standards 
. The rating suggests the film’s pacing or narrative may have tested viewers’ patience.
Rotten Tomatoes Review: A Harsh Verdict
The most scathing take comes from Rotten Tomatoes, where an early review labels Sikandar as a movie that "mutilates the very idea of cinema," accusing it of pandering to an "increasingly inattentive audience" . The critique implies the film prioritizes flash over depth, a common pitfall in big-budget Indian action dramas. Whether this is an outlier or a sign of broader dissatisfaction remains unclear, but the tone is undeniably harsh.
Behind the Scenes: What Went Wrong?
Details about Sikandar’s production are scarce, but the film’s troubled reception raises questions. Murugadoss, known for high-octane thrillers, may have struggled to adapt his style to Khan’s larger-than-life persona. The director’s previous collaborations, like Holiday (2014), balanced action with tight storytelling, but Sikandar appears to have leaned too heavily into spectacle.
Rumors (unconfirmed) suggest reshoots or script changes may have disrupted the film’s cohesion. However, without official statements, these remain speculative. What’s clear is that Sikandar’s early reviews don’t match the hype surrounding its star-studded cast.
**The Road Ahead: Will Sikandar Recover?**
Bollywood films often face mixed early reactions before finding their footing, especially with Khan’s fanbase. Tiger 3 overcame rocky reviews to become a box office hit, and Sikandar could follow a similar trajectory. However, the Rotten Tomatoes critique suggests deeper issues—ones that might not be fixed by word-of-mouth alone.
For now, Sikandar stands as a cautionary tale: even the biggest stars and directors can misfire when the script and execution don’t align.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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