Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna’s ‘Sikandar’ which had released on Eid 2025, had really high expectations. However, the action-packed entertainer failed to strike a chord with both critics and audiences, managing to earn just more than ₹100 crore in India. The film was expected to do much more based on the high budget. But another factor which worked against ‘Sikandar’ was that it was a victim of privacy.The film was leaked online the night before its theatrical release. What made it worse was the fact that the pirated copy wasn’t just a cam-recorded version—it was a high-definition print circulated by piracy websites.Now, in a move that’s drawing attention industry-wide, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment (NGE), the producers of Sikandar, are reportedly gearing up to file a substantial insurance claim worth ₹91 crore. According to a source, which was quoted by Bollywood Hungama, “An audit was conducted to gauge the extent of piracy’s impact, and Ernst & Young (EnY) submitted a detailed report estimating the financial damage at ₹91 crore.“Insiders reveal that the loss estimate factored in pre-release box office forecasts, regional occupancy patterns, and the abrupt revenue drop following the leak. Advanced digital tracking systems were used to trace illegal downloads and streaming data, which further validated the scale of the leak.Interestingly, the pirated version that spread online was not the finalized version—some scenes lacked refined VFX and included footage that had been removed from the official theatrical cut.Whether NGE proceeds with the insurance claim remains to be seen. If it does, the outcome could potentially set a precedent for how piracy-related losses are addressed in Bollywood moving forward.‘Sikandar’ is also now streaming on OTT.
