AR Murugadoss says Salman Khan's Sikandar failed as he couldn't execute it well: ‘I could pull off Ghajini because…’

AR Murugadoss explained why Salman Khan's Sikandar failed to strike a chord with the audience, revealed how it impacted him.

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan returned to the big screen with Sikandar, two years after the debacle of Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. Despite sky-high expectations, the film failed to strike a chord with audiences. Now, in an interview with Valaipechu Voice, director AR Murugadoss has admitted responsibility for the underperformance, confessing that he was unable to execute the film the way he had intended.

AR Murugadoss reflects on Sikandar's box office failure.

AR Murugadoss on Sikandar's box office failure

AR Murugadoss explained that Sikandar’s failure lay in its execution. He said, “Actually, the base story is very emotional. It’s about a king who doesn’t truly understand his wife. We are all like that — whether it’s with our mother, friend, or wife, we often don’t value relationships. Only when someone leaves us forever do we feel the weight of guilt. In the film, when the king loses his wife, her organs are donated to three different people. He then seeks them out, trying to fulfil the things he couldn’t do for her. In the process, he befriends an entire village. The story was emotional, but I couldn’t execute it well.”

He also compared Sikandar with Ghajini and reflected on why the latter had succeeded while Salman’s film failed. He said, “I could pull off Ghajini because it was a remake, not an original script. I had already done it before, so I had complete command. With Sikandar, that wasn’t the case. I’m not saying I won’t return to Hindi cinema; I definitely will if I find my comfort zone. But when the audience can’t connect with my thinking, it affects me deeply.”

In 2008, AR Murugadoss made his Bollywood debut with Ghajini, a remake of his own Tamil film of the same name. Starring Aamir Khan, Asin Thottumkal, Jiah Khan and Pradeep Rawat, the thriller was a massive blockbuster, earning ₹194.10 crore worldwide against a budget of ₹52 crore.

About Sikandar

The film tells the story of Rajkot’s king, Sanjay Rajkot (Salman Khan), also known as Sikandar. His wife, Saishri (Rashmika Mandanna), is his pillar of strength, secretly shielding him from danger. After her death, he embarks on a mission to protect three individuals in Mumbai who have received organ donations from his late wife, while also facing threats from a vengeful politician.

Despite featuring Sathyaraj, Kajal Aggarwal, Prateik Babbar and Sharman Joshi in key roles, the film was criticised for its flat storyline and lacklustre performances. Made on a budget of ₹200 crore, Sikandar managed to earn only ₹184.6 crore worldwide.