AR Murugadoss Reveals Challenges of Working With Salman Khan on Sikandar

A Big Film with even Bigger Expectations 

When Salman Khan’s action drama Sikandar released in March 2025, it was expected to storm the box office. With superstar Salman in the lead role and acclaimed director AR Murugadoss making his Bollywood comeback after nearly a decade, the film carried massive hype. However, despite the anticipation, the movie failed to perform to expectations.

Murugadoss on Why Filming Was Difficult

In a recent interview with Valaipechu Voice, AR Murugadoss reflected on the challenges he faced during production. According to him, the toughest part of working with Salman lay in the actor’s schedule.

“It’s not easy to shoot with such a big star,” Murugadoss shared. “Even day scenes had to be filmed at night, because Salman would only reach the set by 8 PM.”

For a director used to starting shoots in the early morning and working throughout the day, this sudden change required a complete shift in workflow.

Late-Night Shoots Affected the Crew and Child Actors

The odd shooting hours had a ripple effect on the rest of the cast and crew. Murugadoss recalled instances where child actors had to perform at 2 AM to match Salman’s timing. “There were moments when the kids, who were supposed to film simple ‘after-school’ scenes, would be completely exhausted and would doze off while waiting,” he said.

Taking Responsibility for Sikandar’s Failure

Despite the complications, AR Murugadoss refused to pin the film’s underperformance on Salman Khan alone. Instead, he admitted that the bigger flaw was in execution, saying he was unable to translate his vision effectively onto the screen.

“The story itself was very emotional,” he explained. “It’s about a king who doesn’t truly understand his wife. Like many of us—whether with our mothers, wives, or friends—we often don’t value relationships until they are gone. In the story, the king loses his wife and her organs are donated to three people. He sets out to meet them to fulfill what he couldn’t do for her. In the process, he becomes loved by an entire village. The base idea had heart, but I could not do justice to it.”

A Return to Bollywood After Nine Years

Sikandar marked an important comeback for AR Murugadoss in Bollywood after nine years. His last Hindi film, Akira (2016), starred Sonakshi Sinha, Anurag Kashyap, and Konkona Sensharma. Although Akira was appreciated for its strong performances, it earned only ₹43.90 crore against a ₹30 crore budget and did not become a major hit.

With Sikandar, Murugadoss aimed to merge high-octane action sequences with sensitive emotions—a combination he believed would appeal to audiences. Unfortunately, despite Salman’s superstar presence and the ambitious storytelling, the execution did not resonate with viewers.

Balancing Stardom and Storytelling

Industry watchers note that Sikandar highlights a recurring challenge in Bollywood: balancing a star-driven spectacle with heartfelt narratives. Salman Khan’s films typically rely on his massive fan base and larger-than-life screen image, yet Murugadoss hoped to bring a deeper, more emotional arc to his character. The mismatch in creative vision and practical difficulties ended up limiting the film’s impact.

What’s Next for Salman and Murugadoss?

While Sikandar adds to Salman Khan’s recent streak of mixed results, the actor’s stardom ensures that his upcoming projects will continue to generate buzz. For AR Murugadoss, the setback may become a turning point, prompting him to recalibrate his approach as he alternates between Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema.

Final Thoughts

Though Sikandar did not become the blockbuster that fans and critics expected, AR Murugadoss’s candid admission offers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the realities of working with a superstar. Late shooting schedules, creative compromises, and execution hurdles—all shaped the final product.

At its heart, the film carried a powerful emotional idea about love, loss, and redemption. Unfortunately, it didn’t land as intended. Still, Murugadoss’s openness about the experience proves his resilience as a filmmaker determined to keep experimenting across industries.