The Sikandar Story: How Piracy Derailed Salman Khan’s Big Eid Bet
It was supposed to be the Salman Khan comeback. Sikandar, hitting theaters on Eid 2025, had all the makings of a Bollywood blockbuster: a hefty Rs. 200 crore budget, action-packed sequences, Rashmika Mandanna as the leading lady, and the unbeatable Salman-Sajid Nadiadwala duo behind it. Fans were ready to flood theaters, expecting the kind of festive magic Salman delivered in his prime with Dabangg or Bajrangi Bhaijaan. But instead of soaring past the Rs. 200 crore mark, Sikandar stumbled, barely scraping past Rs. 103 crore in India. The culprit? Not just mixed reviews or a moody script, but a massive piracy leak that gutted its earnings. Now, producer Sajid Nadiadwala is fighting back with a jaw-dropping Rs. 91 crore insurance claim to claw back the losses. Let’s unpack this messy saga, from the hype to the heartbreak, and what it means for Bollywood’s biggest star.
The Salman Khan Era: When Every Film Was a Party
If you grew up watching Bollywood in the 2010s, Salman Khan was practically a festival in human form. His movies—Wanted, Ek Tha Tiger, Sultan—weren’t just films; they were events. Families packed theaters, kids mimicked his dialogues, and box office records shattered like glass. From 2010 to 2017, Salman could do no wrong, with his films breezing past Rs. 150 crore, sometimes even touching Rs. 300 crore. Eid releases were his domain, delivering that perfect mix of action, drama, and “Bhai” swagger.
But then came the cracks. Post-2017, films like Tubelight, Race 3, and Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan felt like shadows of his glory days. Fans started noticing the same old moves: predictable roles, half-hearted performances, and stories that didn’t stick. Online, people weren’t kind—some called him lazy, others said he was coasting on stardom. Sikandar was meant to flip that narrative. With A.R. Murugadoss directing and Sajid Nadiadwala producing, it was a big swing. The trailers promised a gritty, emotional action flick, and Salman’s fans were ready to forgive the flops if he delivered. Spoiler: he didn’t, and piracy made sure the fall was even harder.
The Leak That Broke the Bank
Picture this: it’s Eid morning, 2025. Theaters are buzzing, Sikandar posters are everywhere, and fans are chanting Salman’s name. Then, hours before the first show, a high-definition copy of the film hits the internet. Not some shaky phone recording, but a near-finished version, complete with raw sound effects and scenes that didn’t even in the theater cut. There’s a moment where Sikandar meets medical students in Dharavi’s chaotic lanes, another with a longer flashback of Kamaruddin’s lung disease struggle, and a bit where Rashmika’s character talks about her dream of becoming a lawyer. These weren’t polished—they had rough edges, like someone snagged a pre-final edit straight from the studio.
The damage was brutal. By day two, illegal downloads were everywhere, from WhatsApp groups to shady streaming sites like Filmyzilla and Tamilrockers. Box office numbers, which started strong at Rs. 27.5 crore on opening day, nosedived. The film limped to Rs. 103.45 crore in India, losing an estimated Rs. 100 crore domestically. Globally, it crossed Rs. 200 crore, but that was cold comfort for a Rs. 200 crore production. Even its Netflix debut on May 25, 2025, couldn’t salvage things—why pay for a stream when pirated links were free?
Sajid Nadiadwala’s team didn’t sit idle. They hired Ernst & Young (EY) to dig into the mess. EY’s audit was like a detective story, piecing together ticketing data, theater reports, and digital forensics to track the leak’s spread. Their verdict? The piracy cost Sikandar Rs. 91 crore in potential revenue, covering lost ticket sales and watered-down streaming deals. That number wasn’t plucked from thin air—it came from hard data showing how the leak tanked collections, especially in smaller towns where piracy hits hardest.
The Insurance Play: Rs. 91 Crore on the Line
Sajid Nadiadwala isn’t just licking his wounds—he’s fighting back with a move that’s turning heads in Bollywood. His company, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, is filing a Rs. 91 crore insurance claim under their digital piracy coverage. This isn’t your standard insurance; it’s a specialized policy for big-budget films, protecting against the kind of online leaks that can sink a project. If it goes through, it’ll be one of the biggest piracy-related claims in Indian cinema history.
The EY report is Nadiadwala’s ace in the hole. It lays out the math: how pre-release hype predicted Rs. 200 crore-plus in India, how the leak slashed theater turnout, and how illegal streams hurt the Netflix deal. But insurance companies aren’t pushovers—they’ll poke holes in every claim, demanding ironclad proof. Nadiadwala’s team is staying tight-lipped, likely bracing for a long battle. If they win, though, it could change the game, pushing more producers to get serious about piracy insurance and beef up pre-release security.
What Fans Are Saying: Love, Blame, and Everything In Between
Hop onto X, and you’ll see Sikandar’s piracy drama has everyone talking. Fans are split, and the debates are spicy. Some refuse to blame the leak, arguing a true Salman hit would’ve shrugged it off. One user posted, “Salman’s got a crazy fanbase. A leak a few hours before release doesn’t flop a film. Sikandar just wasn’t it.” Others slammed the movie’s vibe, saying, “This isn’t the festive banger Bhai fans expect on Eid. The background score was a mess, and the story felt heavy.” A few even called it a dodge, with one writing, “Makers knew the film was weak, so they’re hyping the piracy excuse to save face.”
But Salman’s diehards aren’t having it. They point to his star power, noting, “Even with bad reviews and a leak, Sikandar hit 200 crore worldwide. That’s Bhai’s pull!” Some brought up other films, like Chaava, which survived a day-one leak without crashing. The truth likely lies in the middle: piracy hurt, but Sikandar’s grim tone and mixed execution didn’t help. Fans still reminisce about Salman’s golden days—Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, Partner, the Tiger films—hoping he’ll bounce back with something fresh.
Why This Matters for Bollywood
Sikandar’s woes aren’t just about one film—they’re a wake-up call for an industry at a crossroads. Piracy isn’t new, but its speed and scale are terrifying. A leak like this, with raw scenes and all, screams insider job, maybe from the post-production phase or even after censor board approval. Studios are now scrambling to tighten security, from encrypted files to watermarked previews. One insider put it bluntly: “A single leak can crush the sweat, tears, and cash of hundreds of people.”
The bigger issue is how piracy feeds into Bollywood’s other headaches: skyrocketing budgets, shifting audience tastes, and competition from streaming platforms. High-stakes films like Sikandar need theaters to thrive, but when tickets cost Rs. 300 and a free link’s a click away, guess what wins? Chasing piracy sites is like whack-a-mole—they pop back up faster than you can sue. Some argue for faster OTT releases or cheaper tickets to outpace pirates, but that’s easier said than done.
Where Do Salman and Sajid Go From Here?
Salman Khan’s still got that megastar aura, even if Sikandar didn’t shine. His fans haven’t given up, and neither has he—rumors of his next project are already swirling. But the pressure’s on to pick smarter scripts and maybe dial up the charm that made him Dabangg’s Chulbul Pandey. For Sajid Nadiadwala, it’s a rough patch but not a knockout. He’s juggling talks with distributors like Jayantilal Gada, who fronted Rs. 100 crore for Sikandar and other films like Housefull 5. The insurance claim, if it lands, could ease the sting, and Sikandar’s Netflix run might chip away at the losses.
More than that, Sikandar’s story is a rallying cry for Bollywood to get tougher on piracy. Whether it’s better tech, stricter laws, or winning over audiences with unbeatable theater experiences, the industry’s got to adapt. For now, Sikandar stands as a reminder of what’s at stake when a film’s fate gets hijacked online—and why the fight to protect cinema is worth every rupee.
Sources: Bollywood Hungama, Free Press Journal, MensXP, Filmfare, TV9 Hindi, Janta Serishta, English Newstrack, Siasat, India Daily, TV9 Kannada, ABP Live, and posts on X.
