Salman Khan's last release, Sikandar, reportedly suffered a major financial blow due to an online leak. The pirated version of the film was made available on various illegal streaming platforms hours before its release. The production house, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, is gearing up to file an insurance claim for the losses incurred due to this piracy incident. An audit was commissioned to assess the extent of the leak and its impact on revenue.
The audit, conducted by Ernst & Young (EY), pegged the loss at around ₹91cr. The loss was calculated by comparing pre-release box office projections with actual earnings after the leak. The production house used digital footprint tracing tools to track illegal downloads across all platforms for Sikandar. The audit included a blend of data from ticketing platforms, distributor reports, and forensic tracing of piracy dissemination.
The pirated version of Sikandar was reportedly different from the censor board-approved copy that played in theaters. Many scenes in the pirated print had unfinished VFX, and there were scenes that were not part of the final cut. Despite the piracy incident, Sikandar reportedly managed to earn around ₹100cr in India and gross approximately ₹175cr worldwide. However, the film received poor theatrical reports from critics and audiences alike.
The piracy incident had a significant impact on Sikandar's success, with the production house believing that the leak was an "insider job." The film's performance was affected by the piracy, but it still managed to earn a substantial amount at the box office. The incident highlights the need for stricter anti-piracy measures in the film industry to prevent such losses in the future.