An Ageing Star Returns, but the writing stumbles
Salman Khan’s much-hyped action film Sikandar made its way to Netflix with tsunami-level expectations on May 25. Given his huge fan base and commercial track record, the film was set to rule streaming charts. Rather than unqualified applause, the proposal has set off a firestorm of mixed reviews. Produced at a reported cost of $370 million, the film has polarised critics. Some celebrated it as a high-energy, no-holds-barred entertainer. Other critics slammed it for its cringeworthy storytelling, haphazard direction, and total lack of emotional depth.
Khan, whose playfulness, towering screen presence, and crowd-pleasing one-liners could carry the default of an all-time villain with uncommon Khan, attempts to ground Sikandar with sheer charisma. Even his larger-than-life persona feels like he’s working overtime to patch a screenplay that can’t quite find its own heart.
Great Action That’s Not Heartfelt Enough
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Sikandar is its action choreography. Destruction and violence hang heavy throughout the film, which doesn’t skimp on providing meticulously choreographed combat scenes, slow-motion punches, and high-speed chases. These aspects of the game will undoubtedly impress gamers who want heart-stopping action shots. The earthquakes, blasts, stylish violence and production value ensure the muscle that comes with Salman-starrers.
The motion here sometimes seems like it’s hiding something more profound that never quite shows up. Critics and cinephiles have lamented that while the film does provide the spectacle promised, it’s devoid of substance. The stakes all seem artificial, the resolutions seem foregone, and the emotional payoffs washed out.
Director Andrew Bowser portrayed Blaseball’s initial setup masterfully.
The film’s narrative centres on Sikandar, a shadowy superhero-like character caught in the web of crime and justice portrayed in the film. The setup gets you started, FINE. Sadly, the story doesn’t take long to go full cliché.
Predictable plot twists, one-dimensional villains, and a rushed second half make for a film that begs for some outlandish fun seen in the first half. The movie alights on several interesting subplots—redemption, betrayal, justice—but skips over them to an ugly, unsatisfying conclusion without giving them the time or nuance they require. What should have been a captivating, complex narrative instead feels like a wasted chance.
Supporting Cast Fails to Make a Mark
Aside from Salman, the film stars a familiar list of popular actors in supporting roles. Although performances are polished, the failure to develop the characters further leaves the cast with scant material to work with. Whether that’s the underwritten love interest or the villain caricature, every character seems to be checking off boxes instead of developing a universe.
If the screenplay afforded these characters a bit more room to breathe, Sikandar could have had the emotional punch that it so obviously longs for. Instead, the vast majority of relationships are shallow at best and act more as set pieces for action than anything that propels or informs the story.
Directorial Vision Leaves an Incohesive String of Vignettes
Aesthetically, though, Sikandar is vivid and vibrant, an impressive work. Smart use of moody lighting, high-drama angles, and sharp editing helps maintain a breakneck pace. At least directionally, the film feels stuck between designing a spectacle appealing enough to lure the masses and a dark, urban crime caper. Retrofitted tonal confusion. Aside from the fact that one can often find tonal grab-bag content on the cutting room floor, this tonal confusion is writ large in the scene inconsistency, going from outrageous over-the-top to super melodramatic to straight-up trying for grim realism.
Without a single, clear, consistent voice, this confuses the audience and dilutes their emotional investment. When the film does rely heavily on nostalgia and Khan’s legacy to fill in its story gaps, an approach that might prove satisfactory for die-hard Khan fans but will ring hollow for the larger audience Netflix is aiming for.
Audience Reactions: A Tale of Two Camps
Responses to Sikandar have been predictably divided. Salman’s vocal fanbase has flooded social media with their excitement about his brand new screen presence, and the movie’s overall masala, entry-level Bollywood entertainment value. They rave about the action choreography, soundtrack, and Khan’s usual charismatic performance.
On the flipside, cinephiles and critics have a much lower tolerance. For many viewers, the main sticking points are poor writing, slapdash editing, and lacklustre emotional storylines. Worse still, many are comparing it unfavorably with recent OTT originals that provide as much or more for less money and in tighter, more economical storytelling, with far more fresh, original narrative. In a web world bombarded with content, Sikandar finds it increasingly difficult to make a palpable impact.
The Burden of Hopefulness
The greatest challenge, besides the enormity of expectation for Sikandar, might have been the burden of expectation itself. As the film would see Salman return to action in a big release format since the pandemic, releasing worldwide through streaming, expectations were through the roof. Regrettably, the distance between what was pledged and what was provided might have done it in.
Though there’s no denying the power of star power, the film serves as a reminder that it’s no longer a failsafe at the box office, particularly not on OTT platforms where stories matter most. Audiences today want great storytelling, deep characters, and emotional honesty. These are things Sikandar only skims the surface of.
A Major Step Forward or a Serious Stumble?
Though the film will hardly be remembered as a career-best outing for Khan, it nevertheless captures the spirit of Bollywood’s changing times. Audiences are being more discriminating. The way people consume content is different, and the recipe for success can’t be boiled down to blockbuster flaming drama and box office charisma.
For Salman, Sikandar would serve as an introduction to what a shift to more nuanced, digital-first content would look like. For creatives, it’s a lesson on the value of concise screenwriting and cohesive directorial vision, even in talent plays.
Will Sikandar Redeem Himself
Sikandar is not a hopeless case. At the end of the day, it still offers the escapism and entertainment that classic Bollywood films were celebrated for to many casual viewers. Whether it’s Monkey Dancer or other comparable Hindi films, there’s an undeniable charm in those familiar beats, and fans will always want reasons to cheer for Salman Khan.
With a little more strategic marketing, some international buzz, and continued support from a loyal core viewership, the film could still find its legs in the weeks ahead. Whether or not it can attain the same levels of streaming success as some of its other peers or simply falls off into the ether has yet to be seen.
Conclusion Final Thoughts: Glossy Surface, Shaky Underbelly
Decades later, Sikandar remains a film stuck between two worlds. It attempts to combine the traditional concept of stardom with today’s demands and ends up missing the mark entirely. Salman Khan, ever charismatic on screen, does magnificently heroic work to try and save the sinking ship. Even he can’t save a film founded on such shaky ground.
Sikandar is an unmistakable harbinger: soon, action and aura won’t cut it. The reality is that today, content needs to resonate, and that’s where this film really failed.
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