Salman Khan: From Unshakeable to searching for Reinvention |

For more than three decades, Salman Khan has been one of Hindi cinema’s most formidable box office forces. His stardom shaped audience expectations, festival release patterns, and even the mass-market film template. Few stars in the history of Indian cinema have commanded the kind of frenzied fan base, theatrical pull, and near-guaranteed hit ratio that Salman enjoyed, especially during the 2010–2017 period- a golden age where almost every release turned into an event.But the last few years tell a different story.Between 2018 and 2025, the Salman Khan phenomenon has undergone a visible shift. The box office, which once danced to his rhythm, is no longer responding with the same unanimous enthusiasm. The superstar who once delivered back-to-back Rs200–300 crore blockbusters now finds himself in an era where results are inconsistent, audience response is fragmented, and box office verdicts are frequently underwhelming.All eyes now on his upcoming release Battle of Galwan with Apoorva Lakhia which as per reports have been acquired by Jio Studios for over Rs 300 crore price.

The Golden Age (2010–2017): A Box Office reign like no other

To understand the slump, one must first appreciate the magnitude of Salman’s peak.

This seven-year phase redefined superstardom. A Salman film meant:

His top films Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Sultan, Tiger Zinda Hai crossed Rs 300 crore, a rare feat during that period. Salman wasn’t just a star, he was a movement, a cultural phenomenon, and the backbone of the Bollywood box office.The Turning Point Post-2017The range and consistency of this phase raised one critical question: Was this sustainable?The answer began revealing itself in 2018.

2018–2025: The Numbers Paint a Stark Picture

Here’s a breakdown of Salman’s theatrical performance after 2017:

What leaps out immediately is the drop in:

With the exception of Tiger 3, a well-established, high-octane franchise, none of the films in this period managed to recreate the magic of Salman’s earlier run. The Eid advantage also weakened. Films like Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan and Sikandar both festival releases barely crossed Rs 100 crore.For someone whose “floor” used to be ₹150–200 crore, this is a dramatic fall.Takling about Salman’s weak run, film critic Girish Wankhede says , ” Salman is relying too much on his own club, a club where he only works with people he’s comfortable with, be it Prabhudeva or Farhad Samji or Mahesh Manjerekar to name a few. It is a Salman Khan fan club- they praise him so much that he thinks no one can touch him .And if since 2017 he’s unable to give successful films because he’s working for friendship, he’s doing films like Radhe or Bharat or Race 3. He’s responsible for killing the Race franchise, the series was doing well with Saif Ali Khan.” ” So these guys, he just tries to enter into a space where he is very comfortable. He takes those people who are very comfortable with him. And then the story doesn’t relate with the people. How can you make a film whose name is Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan when the story is about a 40 year old getting married. When you look at Dhurandhar, you can see that it is a director’s medium but with Salman he’s never a director’s actor. Ranveer Singh has acted like an actor in Dhurandhar and allowed other actors to grow on screen. But with Battle of Galwan things will change; he’s playing a character for a change” he added.

Why Salman Khan’s magic isn’t working like before

1. Audience Evolution: The 2010s Template Feels Dated

The Bollywood audience of 2025 is drastically different from 2015.

The films Salman picked post-2018 relied heavily on:

Race 3, KKBKKJ, Dabangg 3, Sikandar — all suffered from the same root issue: the audience had evolved, but the films had not.

2. The Franchise Cushion Is No Longer Enough

Even the iconic Tiger franchise showed signs of fatigue:

Without a franchise, the appeal has dipped further. Sikandar -a big standalone Eid release failed to even match Jai Ho numbers from 2014, despite ticket prices being far higher in 2025.

3. Eid Is No Longer Salman’s Fortress

Between 2010–2017, Eid meant one thing: a Salman Khan blockbuster.But from 2018 onwards:

The festival audience that once blindly trusted his brand is now more selective.

Sikandar (2025): A Case Study in Decline

Opening Day: ₹27.50 croreLifetime: ₹103.45 croreVerdict: DisasterThis is one of the weakest Eid performances of Salman’s post-2010 career.The film lacked:

Sikandar’s failure is significant because it signals that even a festival release with Salman Khan is no longer an automatic hit.

What Salman Needs Now: Reinvention Over Reliance

The trajectory is clear -without reinvention, diminishing returns will continue.

What could restore his dominance?

1. Choosing content-first scripts

Like Bajrangi Bhaijaan — emotional, rooted, strong writing-driven cinema.

2. Collaborating with top new-age directors

Imagine Salman with:

Fresh sensibilities can redefine his image.

3. Letting go of formula-driven entertainers

The “masala template” that worked in 2011 won’t work in 2025.

4. Investing in strong music + big moments

Music used to be Salman’s strongest pillar; post-2018 albums haven’t matched those highs.On his birthday the actor released the teaser of upcoming Eid release Battle of Galwan and it recieved a good reponse from the audince.Let’s hope this is the start of a new change for the superstar. ( Box Office Numbers compiled by Bollywood Hungama)