From offically the biggest flop of the year to number 1 trending on Netflix: This film rewrote its fate in just 48 hours of OTT release, it is…

In the glitzy and glamorous world of Bollywood, fame is always fleeting, and nothing is predictable. While on one Sunday, an actor would be winning the hearts of the audience, next Friday, they might vanish in thin air like they never existed. But every once in a while, some instances surprise you. A film that did not perform well at the box office might gain traction and ultimately become a success in the digital space.  One such similar tale happened with a film that found its unexpected glory and rewrote its fate within just 48 hours.

The film we are talking about is Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s Sikandar. Released on Eid, the film had sky-high expectations as the star cast featured “Bhai Jaan” of Bollywood, Salman Khan, and Rashmika Mandanna in the lead. It was a blend of action, drama, glamour, and a thunderous promotional campaign, but besides all the hype, it didn’t quite deliver as expected.  It was made on a budget of Rs. 200 crores; however, it only collected ₹184.6 crores globally, making it one of the year’s biggest flops officially.

From film reviewers to the audience, everyone criticised the film, and eventually the buzz faded, and it turned out to vanish from the screen in no time. However, in a turn of events, the film dropped on Netflix on 25th May and changed the fate of this film. What followed later wasn’t any less of a magic. Just after 48 hours of its release on OTT, it became the No. 1 trending film. From Instagram memes scrolling down to it taking over the headlines, the buzz of this film spread like a wildfire.

The plot of this film revolves around a man, Sanjay, who is admired by Rajko, portrayed by Salman Khan. The self-sacrificing character can do anything for his loved one. His wife’s character rather the emotional anchor and is played by Saiyami Kher. However, the real drama begins when Sanjay clashes with the villain Ranadeep Hooda, sparking a battle of ideologies, power, and personal loss.

While on one spectrum, viewers criticised this film for the age gap between the leads, the outdated storyline, and high octane action sequence, on the other hand, viewers are now praising it for keeping them glued to their seats with twists and drama.

Despite an IMDb rating of just 4.1, the film started to trend across regions. Viewers were hooked to the unpredictable twists and over-the-top drama — the very things that failed to impress in theatres became its winning formula on OTT.s.

This film’s journey is a reminder that in Bollywood, a flop on Friday can still win on streaming Saturday. And what might fail on box office might redeem itself on OTT

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