Highlights:
-
AR Murugadoss said Salman Khan’s late arrival on set (around 8 pm) made shooting Sikandar challenging.
-
Child actors had to film late-night scenes, sometimes at 2 am, affecting their performance.
-
Despite a reported ₹200 crore budget, Sikandar earned only ₹184.6 crore and was declared a box-office failure.
-
Sikandar marked Murugadoss’s return to Hindi cinema after nine years.
- Advertisement - -
Salman Khan’s next project is Apoorva Lakhia’s Battle of Galwan.
Director AR Murugadoss recently opened up about the challenges he experienced while working on his Hindi comeback film Sikandar, starring Salman Khan. The filmmaker explained that the actor’s unconventional working schedule created major hurdles in completing the shoot.
According to Murugadoss, Salman Khan preferred arriving on set only by 8 pm, which meant that even daytime scenes had to be shot during the night. This unusual working style forced the director and his crew to change their filming methods drastically.
“It’s not easy to shoot with a star. Even day scenes, we have to shoot at night because he turns up on set only by 8 pm. We are used to shooting right from early mornings, but that’s not how things work there,” Murugadoss said in an interview.
Murugadoss explains impact on child actors
Murugadoss also highlighted how Salman Khan’s schedule affected other cast members, especially children involved in the film. The director shared that younger actors had to stay awake late into the night to complete their scenes.
“If there were four kids in a scene, we would have to shoot with them at 2 am, even if it’s the shot of them returning from school. They would become tired by that time and usually dozed off,” Murugadoss explained.
This, according to Murugadoss, made it more challenging to maintain the energy levels and authenticity required for the film’s storyline.
Murugadoss’s return to Bollywood after nine years
Sikandar marked Murugadoss’s return to Hindi cinema after nearly a decade. His last Hindi directorial was Akira in 2016, featuring Sonakshi Sinha, Anurag Kashyap, and Konkona Sen Sharma. That film collected ₹43.90 crore against a budget of ₹30 crore but failed to achieve significant success.
Murugadoss, best known for directing blockbuster films such as Ghajini in Bollywood and multiple Tamil hits, was expected to make a strong comeback with Sikandar. However, the film faced difficulties both during production and after release.
Storyline and reception of Sikandar
Released earlier in 2025, Sikandar featured Salman Khan as Sanjay “Sikandar” Rajkot, a man driven by personal tragedy. The story revolves around his mission to protect three individuals whose lives were impacted by his late wife’s actions, leading to a confrontation with a powerful politician seeking revenge.
The cast also included Rashmika Mandanna, Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, Sharman Joshi, and Prateik Babbar. Despite its large-scale production and reported budget of ₹200 crore, the film collected only ₹184.6 crore worldwide. Trade analysts declared it a box-office failure.
For Murugadoss, the result was a setback after high expectations surrounding his return to Hindi cinema.
View this post on Instagram
Murugadoss and his experience with Salman Khan
Reflecting on the process, Murugadoss stressed that working with Salman Khan required adjusting to a completely different rhythm of filmmaking. While Murugadoss is accustomed to starting shoots early in the morning and finishing by evening, Salman Khan’s late-night work style required the entire team to reset their schedules.
For Murugadoss, this was not only a logistical issue but also a creative one, since many scenes had to be shot under artificial lighting to simulate daytime. This adjustment impacted how the film was made and how the performances unfolded.
Salman Khan’s upcoming project after Sikandar
While Sikandar did not perform as expected, Salman Khan has already moved on to his next project. He will be seen in Apoorva Lakhia’s Battle of Galwan, which is based on the 2020 clash in the Galwan Valley between Indian and Chinese troops.
Speaking about preparing for the physically demanding role, Salman Khan said:
“Every year, every month, every day it gets more and more difficult. I have to give more time now (for training). Earlier, I would do it in one or two weeks; now I’m running, kicking, punching, and all that stuff. This film demands that.”
Murugadoss and the lessons from Sikandar
Although Sikandar did not succeed at the box office, Murugadoss’s comments give insight into the practical challenges of filmmaking when working with stars of Salman Khan’s stature. The director’s experience shows how a star’s schedule can significantly influence not only the shoot but also the performances of other actors and the overall production quality.
For Murugadoss, the experience may serve as a reminder of the balance needed between star power and the director’s vision. His next move in Bollywood will be closely watched, as audiences and industry insiders will want to see how he adapts after Sikandar.
