Salman Khan's Sikandar leaked online hours before release; authorities pull down pirated version from 600 websites

Salman Khan's new film, Sikandar, was leaked online by pirates hours before it was slated to hit the screens.

Updated on: Mar 30, 2025, 10:31:17 IST

By Abhimanyu Mathur

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The ugly head of piracy reared itself again on Sunday as Salman Khan's much-awaited Eid release, Sikandar, was leaked online hours before it hit the screens. The film was slated to be released in theatres on Sunday, but as per reports, it was leaked online late Saturday night, before authorities removed the pirated version from several websites. (Also read: Salman Khan says he doesn't want any controversy around Sikandar: ‘Kaafi dekh chuke hain hum’)

A still from Sikandar featuring Salman Khan.

Sikandar leaked online

Film trade analyst Komal Nahta tweeted on Sunday morning, "It’s the worst nightmare for any producer. A film being leaked before its theatrical release. Unfortunately, that’s what happened last evening to Sajid Nadiadwala’s ‘Sikandar’, slated to release today in cinemas."

Nahta added that the film's makers, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, urged the authorities to act on the leak and the film was oulled down from hundreds of websites. "The producer had the authorities pull the film down from 600 sites last night but the harm had been done. The multiplication continued and is still continuing. Condemnable act which could cost the producer of the Salman starrer dear," he wrote.

So far, there is no information on how the film was leaked and where the leaked version originated from. Sources suggest that the makers have approached the police, and the matter is being investigated.

About Sikandar

Sikandar, directed by AR Murugadoss, marks Salman's return to the big screen for the first time since 2023. The film also stars Rashmika Mandanna, Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, and Sharman Joshi in pivotal roles. It released in theatres on March 30.

Sikandar advance booking

Even though Sikandar is Salman's first Eid release in two years, the film has not broken any records with its advance booking. The film managed just ₹10 crore in advance booking gross for its opening day, higher than Mohanlal's recently-released L2: Empuraan, but behind Vicky Kaushal's Chhaava. However, trade insiders predict spot booking and a Sunday release may just help the film get a good opening.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abhimanyu Mathur
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More

Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!.

Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.