While promoting Costao on Lallantop, Nawazuddin said, “The onus shouldn’t fall solely on Bhai (Salman Khan); filmmaking is collaborative. If directors don’t deliver, we can’t blame just the superstar.”
Directed by AR Murugadoss, Sikandar released on March 30 and featured Rashmika Mandanna, Kajal Aggarwal, Sharman Joshi, and Suniel Shetty in key roles. Despite the star-studded cast, the film grossed under ₹150 crore, with its domestic box office collection currently at ₹110 crore, according to Sacnilk.
Nawazuddin, who previously shared screen space with Salman in the blockbuster Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), explained the unique burden that comes with working alongside a superstar.“The specialty of a superstar lies in their ability to turn a normal film into a big attraction, whether it has that essence or not. When someone like Salman Khan signs up to do a movie, the director’s responsibility increases because he is bringing you all these fans on a platter.”
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Reflecting on his experience working with Salman Khan in Bajrangi Bhaijaan — which collected ₹320 crore in India — Nawaz praised Salman’s generosity on set.“I have always enjoyed working with him because he is very passionate about his work and is also a very giving actor. During Bajrangi Bhaijaan, he used to give me his line during the scene and say, ‘Tu bol yeh dialogue,’ and this is not just something he did for me, but he is like this for everyone.”
Bajrangi Bhaijaan remains one of the biggest hits in Indian cinema and a testament to the powerful chemistry between the two actors. Nawaz’s latest remarks add to the ongoing debate around Sikandar, where many critics and fans agree that weak writing and direction were at the heart of the film’s failure — not the performance of its lead actor.
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