Sikandar: an irresistibly explosive Bollywood drama
Despite the plot holes and silliness, there’s so much fun to be had in AR Murugadoss’ new action film
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In Sikandar, director AR Murugadoss delivers the kind of high-energy, all-singing, all-dancing action drama for which Bollywood is so beloved, propelled by Salman Khan’s movie-star presence.
Khan stars as the eponymous Sanjay “Sikandar” Rajkot, in the type of role one could easily imagine Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson playing in a Hollywood remake. Khan is a local leader turned renegade vengeance machine who glares, snarls and kicks butt as he seeks revenge against his enemies and justice for India’s most impoverished citizens.
On the way he becomes entangled in a fierce battle against the corrupt minister Rakesh Pradhan, played with equally scenery-chewing menace by Rangaraj Subbiah, who rose to prominence in the mid-80s with Mr. Bharath, and has gone on to star in more than 200 films.
Sikandar oscillates between explosive action sequences just for the sake of it and the occasional emotional beat that underscores the stoicism, resilience and general badassery of its protagonist.
Murugadoss, best known for Bollywood blockbusters Ghajini (2008) and Holiday (2014), has a knack for weaving together pulpy narratives with glorious spectacle, earning him a reputation as one of the most reliably entertaining directors in contemporary Indian cinema.
Outside of the Indian diaspora and cinephiles, his films may not make much of an impact in the English-speaking world, but that is, sadly, typical of the west’s approach to cinema from South Asia. While Sikandar isn’t generating much buzz outside of those who already pay attention to Bollywood releases, many viewers who are tired of the formulaic Hollywood intellectual property grabs would find their time better spent having pulpy fun with Khan and co.
Though Bollywood is one of the largest forces in global cinema, it rarely receives the recognition it so rightfully deserves from Hollywood institutions and western audiences. While Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire (2008) earned hundreds of millions at the US box office and walked away with eight Oscars, it wasn’t until 2023 that an Indian-produced film, RRR, actually won an Academy Award — for best original song with the wonderfully catchy Naatu Naatu.
In the case of Sikandar, despite costing around the same as a Marvel movie’s catering, the film was produced on a lavish scale by Bollywood standards. Its budget is speculated to be upwards of ₹200 crore (£18m), with some even reporting ₹400 crore, making it one of India’s most expensive productions ever. Following RRR’s success at the box office, Sikandar’s potential mass appeal and sleek finish could also reap rewards.
Sikandar’s elaborate fight scenes are set against real locations in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Dubai. It’s a refreshing watch compared to the CGI-heavy action sequences and murky greenscreen visuals we’ve come to expect from so much of modern western action cinema — now even celebrated Oscar nominees such as The Brutalist are employing AI. Combined with a high-octane percussive soundtrack there’s an irresistible energy at play, even in its silliest moments.
Sikandar comes in at a relatively slim 134 minutes but crams in an inordinate number of narratives. Outside of the jacked protagonist’s leadership duties in the city of Rajkot, he is a devoted husband to his wife Saisri. However, his life takes a dark turn when he earns the ire of ruthless politician Pradhan. He unknowingly sparks a deadly vendetta that spirals into a many-headed hydra of subplots involving organ donation logistics, corruption around air quality, sexism and the patriarchy — and plenty of explosions.
While the film certainly doesn’t reinvent the cinematic wheel — and there are plenty of plot holes and narrative inconsistencies — there’s so much fun to be had if you accept it on its own terms. If you’re willing to park yourself on the edge of your seat and laugh along with and at Sikandar, it does deliver as a piece of flashy entertainment.
Unsurprisingly, in India, where it was released on Eid, and among the diaspora, audiences have already turned out in droves, driven by Khan’s decades-long star power and desire to have a little fun. But that is nothing new for this hyper-masculine leading man. Khan’s filmography is filled with box office juggernauts, including Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), Sultan (2016) and the Tiger franchise (2012-2023), which have cemented his status as one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars — despite the many controversies throughout his career. Collectively, his films have grossed more than ₹7,000 crore (£662.5m) worldwide.
Having been born to a Muslim father and a Hindu mother, he is taciturn off-screen and generally apolitical in his public statements, but at times Khan has supported messages of communal harmony amid rising Hindu nationalism in India, reinforcing an image of a nation where Muslims and Hindus can live in secular harmony.
For now, Khan’s takedown of dastardly politicians is limited to his on-screen antics in Sikandar, but his continued success in the face of political polarisation is a testament to the unifying power of cinema.
Sikandar is now showing in UK cinemas.
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