Salman Khan’s movie postponed: Sikandar actor reacts on film with filmmaker Atlee, ’My film will not get numbers’

Salman Khan, the Bollywood superstar, is preparing to appear in Atlee helmed action film but the release of the most anticipated film has been delayed due to budget issues, PTI reported. In a group interview, the 59-year-old actor revealed the news while suggesting that Rajinikanth or Kamal Haasan may feature in the film beside him.

"He has written a very big budget action film. The film with Atlee is delayed; the budget is an issue for the film. I don't know who from the two (Rajinikanth sir or Kamal Haasan sir) will be in it," PTI quoted Salman Khan as saying.

Emphasising that it's a challenge to bring a pan-India movie with actors from Bollywood and the south, he said, "The thing is money... They also charge and we also charge, it is a big responsibility. For instance, in a film like ‘Ramayana’, they can cast everyone from here and there (south). I've worked with directors, actors and technicians from the south in many films."

Salman Khan asserted that ‘right script’ is needed for a collaboration between Bollywood and south actors to happen. He further acknowledged that actors like Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, Suriya and Ram Charan have a significant cult following in the southern states.

Suggesting that Bollywood actors' movies fail to impress southern audiences, he said, "When my film is released there, it will not get the numbers because their fan following is very strong. I'll be on the street, and they will say, 'Bhai, Bhai', but they will not go to the theatres. We've accepted them here, and their films do well because we go and see them, like those of Rajinikanth garu or Chiranjeevi garu or Suriya or Ram Charan. But their fans do not go and see our films," Khan said.

According to Salman Khan, a pan-Indian film involves very high budget which becomes very difficult to recover given the number of theatres here. "If we had 20,000 to 30,000 theatres, we would have killed Hollywood," he said.

Salman Khan movie with Sanjay Dutt

Salman Khan will be co-starring with his actor friend Sanjay Dutt in an action film. Giving details about the upcoming venture in the pipeline, he said, “I'm doing another big action film after 'Sikandar'. That's rustic action. I'm doing it with my elder brother in the industry, Sanj... Sanjay Dutt. The director is not confirmed yet.”

Notably, Salman Khan's upcoming movie "Sikandar," produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, is scheduled to release on March 30, on the occasion of Eid. The star cast features Rashmika Mandanna, Sathyaraj, Kajal Aggarwal and Sharman Joshi, among others.

(With PTI inputs)