‘Nahi chahiye, bhai’: Salman Khan laughs off concerns amid Ram watch controversy ahead of Sikandar release | Watch

Salman Khan cracked up in laughter when asked about any possible controversies ahead of the release of his upcoming movie, Sikandar.

“Nahi chahiye, bhai, humko koi controversy. Bohot saare controversies se guzar chuke hai hum, humko nahi chahiye koi controversy (No, brother, I don’t want any controversy. I’ve already been through a lot of controversies. I don’t want any more),” said a laughing Salman Khan to ANI.

Salman Khan’s comments come after Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi’s critique of the Bollywood star for wearing a Ram watch.

The President of All India Muslim Jamaat criticised Khan for wearing a ‘Ram Edition’ watch, saying it’s haraam (prohibited) for Muslims to promote non-Islamic symbols.

He urged the actor to repent and follow Shariah (Islamic law). The cleric said no Muslim, including Salman, should support non-Islamic religious symbols or institutions like the Ram temple.

"Such actions are unjustifiable and forbidden. The person involved should seek forgiveness (toba) and ensure they don't repeat this mistake. I advise Salman Khan to respect Islamic law (Shariah) and follow its principles," ANI quoted Bareilvi as saying.

Meanwhile, Salman Khan dismissed any connection between controversies and a movie’s success.

“I don’t think any movie becomes a hit because of controversies. We have seen movies getting postponed due to controversies. We still have time (before Sikandar’s release). Let these days pass, and let the movie get released. Even after that, we don’t need any controversies,” Salman added.

Then, he wished his fans a “Happy Eid” and then again burst into laughter and said, “...but no controversies, please.”

“We don’t want controversies. We don’t need controversies. We want our families to stay out of controversies lifelong. We’ve had our share of controversies,” he said.

Salman Khan’s Sikandar movie

Sikandar collected ₹9.31 crore in net advance bookings by 7:40 AM on March 28, nearing the ₹10-crore mark. With over 9.3 lakh blocked seats and 1.36 lakh tickets sold across 12,825 shows, it earned ₹3.98 crore. The film’s 2D and IMAX 2D formats contributed ₹3.95 crore and ₹1.88 lakh, signalling a potential record-breaker.

Tickets for Sikandar are in high demand, with prices soaring across India. In Delhi, rates range from ₹1,600 to ₹1,900, while some Mumbai multiplexes list ‘luxe’ seats at ₹2,200. Even recliners in single screens touch ₹700.

Despite steep prices, many shows in Delhi-NCR are already sold out, reflecting massive buzz around the action-thriller.

Salman Khan, known for delivering blockbusters like Dabangg and Bajrangi Bhaijaan, did not have an Eid release in 2024. In 2023, his Eid release (Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan) did not fare well despite having a massive opening.

Before that, in 2019, Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai was released. The movie was a disaster at the box office.

There are a lot of expectations around Sikandar, directed by Ghajini director A.R. Murugadoss. Starring Rashmika Mandanna, Kajal Aggarwal and Sathyaraj, the movie will be released on March 30, ahead of Eid 2025.