![JMA – Ninja & Deep Jandu [Official MV] Kaptaan](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-dsfIh319s0/maxresdefault.jpg "JMA – Ninja & Deep Jandu [Official MV] Kaptaan")
A press release from the production house stated that the film earned ₹30.06 crore at the domestic box office on its first day. Trade tracking website Sacnilk reported that Sikandar recorded ₹26 crore net at the domestic box office.
The film, featuring Rashmika Mandanna alongside Salman Khan, also stars Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, Sharman Joshi, Prateik Babbar, Anjini Dhawan, and Jatin Sarna.
While Sikandar managed to secure the eighth-highest opening for a Salman Khan starrer, its first-day figures fell slightly below industry expectations. The film opened on a Sunday, a day before the Eid holiday, and recorded an overall Hindi occupancy rate of 21.60% on March 30, according to a report by The Times of India. Morning shows began with a slow 13.76% occupancy, which picked up to 25% in the evening before settling at 23.55% during night screenings.
Trade analysts had projected an opening of ₹25-26 crore net, a figure the film ultimately achieved. Compared to Salman Khan’s previous films, Sikandar fell just short of Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), which opened at ₹26.67 crore, but surpassed Kick (2014), which earned ₹24.97 crore, and Dabangg 3 (2019), which debuted at ₹22.29 crore.
Adding to its challenges, Sikandar was reportedly leaked online within hours of its release on Sunday. According to reports, around 600 websites were hosting pirated copies before they were taken down. Several illegal platforms, including Telegram groups, allegedly provided unauthorised downloads and streaming links.Film trade analyst Komal Nahta spoke about the impact of piracy, saying, “Usually, films get pirated a week or two after release, but in this case, it happened on the release day itself. If a Salman Khan film is available for free on mobile phones the day it releases, why would audiences visit cinemas?”With the Eid holiday on Monday, Sikandar now relies on strong word-of-mouth and sustained box office performance to recover lost ground. The coming days will be crucial in determining whether the film can overcome its opening hurdles and maintain momentum at the box office.
