Did AR Murugadoss Blame Salman Khan For Sikandar Failure At Box Office?

Director AR Murugadoss shares insights on the challenges faced while filming Sikandar with Salman Khan, including late-night schedules affecting child actors and crew dynamics.

Months after his ambitious movie Sikandar failed at the box office, director AR Murugadoss has opened up on the challenges of working with Salman Khan.

The director highlighted the unique working style of the actor, which included arriving late to shoots. This habit required the crew to adapt their schedules significantly, often filming day scenes at night.

Adjusting to Unusual Schedules

In a YouTube podcast with Valaipechu Voice, Murugadoss discussed how Salman's late arrivals affected the filming process. The actor typically showed up around 8:00 pm, forcing the team to shoot daylight scenes during nighttime. This adjustment was particularly challenging for the crew, who were accustomed to starting early in the morning.

The director explained that shooting with Salman was not straightforward due to these schedule changes. "I struggled shooting with Salman Khan in Sikandar," he stated. "He doesn't shoot at day; shooting starts at 9 pm. He comes late for shoot; day-light scenes were shot at sets in night; everything was CG with lots of spot changes."

Challenges for Child Actors

The impact of Salman's schedule extended beyond just logistical issues. Murugadoss noted that other actors, especially children, faced difficulties due to the late-night shoots. Young performers often became tired and fell asleep during filming sessions that stretched into the early hours.

The director recalled instances where scenes involving children had to be filmed as late as 2:00 AM. This was particularly taxing when scenes depicted them returning home from school, requiring them to act alert despite the late hour.

Working with a superstar like Salman Khan brought its own set of hurdles for Murugadoss and his team. The need to adjust filming times and manage tired child actors added layers of complexity to an already demanding production process.

AR Murugadoss' next movie is the psychological action thriller Madharaasi which stars Sivakarthikeyan. By his own admission, he had narrated the script to Shah Rukh Khan many years ago.

The King Khan had liked the script but did not give nod to act in the movie.