Setting the Stage
A. R. Murugadoss teams up again with Salman Khan in Sikandar, a grand Eid release carrying massive expectations. Salman plays Sanjay Rajkot (“Sikandar”), a modern-day king whose life spirals after his beloved wife dies in a terror attack. She selflessly donates her organs to three strangers in Mumbai, triggering a mission: protect her recipients from a vindictive minister determined to haunt him via their bloodlines indiatoday.inzoomnews.in+15en.wikipedia.org+15timesofindia.indiatimes.com+15.
Plot & Screenplay: High Ambitions, Shaky Ground
The setup is intriguing—organ donation woven into a revenge saga—but the execution quickly unravels. After a strong opening, the narrative devolves into a sprawling mass of disconnected subplots: political vendettas, slum uprisings, and forced social messaging arynews.tv. Attempts to balance genres result in tonal whiplash, and the flimsy premise—why the minister would target strangers—never rings true .
Critics describe the screenplay as “threadbare” and “disjointed,” filled with clichés and lazy storytelling newindianexpress.com+1zoomnews.in+1. A Redditor summed it up:
“Just finished the first half. … So far it’s not Kisi ka Bhai type bad, but it’s not that far off… The editing… is very confused” reddit.com+13reddit.com+13reddit.com+13.
The result is a bloated 135‑minute runtime that feels padded and jumbled, dragging especially in the second half.
Salman’s Performance: Swagger, but No Soul
Salman Khan is still center-stage, delivering signature heroics and emotional beats— but at 60, much of it feels like muscle memory. There’s charisma, sure—but critics note he seems less invested; action and emoting lack energy, with some scenes feeling lifeless .
Yet for fans seeking his masala persona, it occasionally works. India Today notes his close‑ups and first‑act fight are “well‑executed,” and emotional beats with children in the climax show glimmers of sincerity indiatoday.in. Still, most agree he’s playing archetype, not character.
Supporting Cast: Underused and One-Dimensional
Rashmika Mandanna’s role is tragically underdeveloped—introduced too briefly and sidelined early en.wikipedia.org+11zoomnews.in+11instantbollywood.com+11. Kajal Aggarwal, Sharman Joshi, Jatin Sarna, and others are wasted in thin, formulaic subplots with little emotional weight instantbollywood.com+7newindianexpress.com+7indiatimes.com+7. Villains Sathyaraj and Prateik Babbar come across as caricatures with zero menace zoomnews.in+5arynews.tv+5instantbollywood.com+5.
On the rare bright side, Jatin Sarna’s Mumbai taxi‑driver role and Sharman Joshi’s loyal aide get minor praise for sincerity and restraint .
Direction, Action & Technicals
Murugadoss delivers visual polish—IMAX‑style shots, dramatic slow‑mo, and glossy production design. Tirru’s camera work is often impressive reddit.com+13filminformation.com+13en.wikipedia.org+13. Kevin Kumar’s stunt choreography brings energetic sequences—but they pale against today’s global standards and lack diversity of style indiatimes.com+15filminformation.com+15timesofindia.indiatimes.com+15.
Critics slashed the direction as unfocused with editing that “should’ve been sharper,” jumping haphazardly between scenes .
Music & Score
Pritam’s songs are mostly forgettable, aside from a couple of peppy numbers. Santhosh Narayanan’s background score adds occasional weight but lacks punch in key moments zahidmobiles.com+8filminformation.com+8en.wikipedia.org+8.
Critical & Audience Reception
Overall reviews skew negative:
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Indian Express: 1.5/5—calls it “lacklustre, dull” zahidmobiles.comindianexpress.com.
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Times of India: 2/5—big on grandeur, short on narrative timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
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Common Sense Media / Culture Mix: scathing verdicts, with “boring,” “preachy,” “obnoxiously stupid” descriptors rottentomatoes.com.
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Some more lenient voices gave around 3/5 for a few entertaining set pieces .
Reddit sentiment is bleak:
“…beyond bad writing and editing… not one saving grace”
“It genuinely seems like a hackjob” indianexpress.com+11reddit.com+11reddit.com+11reddit.com.
Box Office & Legacy
Despite star power and a ₹200 crore budget, Sikandar flopped. It collected around ₹100 crore domestically—far below expectations—and piracy allegedly led to ₹91 crore in losses indiatimes.com+15en.wikipedia.org+15timesofindia.indiatimes.com+15. Industry insiders note it marks a rare misstep for Murugadoss, Salman, and mainstream Eid blockbusters en.wikipedia.org+15filmeshilmy.com+15timesofindia.indiatimes.com+15.
Final Verdict
Sikandar wants to be an emotional, action-packed epic about heroism and organ donation, but it fizzles. Murugadoss fails to find a cohesive voice, Salman delivers style but little soul, and the supporting cast is squandered. What remains are polished visuals and occasional thrills—but not enough to overshadow a script riddled with holes.
Rating: 2 / 5
A magnificently marketed Eid offering that ultimately disappoints—a glossy shell with little substance. Fans seeking nostalgia and star power may enjoy echoes of Salman’s earlier antics, but viewers craving fresh storytelling or emotional resonance will walk away empty-handed.
