Sikandar, Salman Khan's Eid spectacle, is out on Netflix now, but can his star power save the day?

Dubai: Just when you thought your living room was safe, Sikandar has landed on Netflix with all the force of a mid-air punch and the subtlety of a marching band.

Released on May 25, the film now brings its digitally remastered chaos directly to your screens — along with every slo-mo strut, flying shawl, and sermon on social reform.

But let’s not pretend this is just another streaming drop.

Netflix India rolled out the red carpet with “Sikandar aa gaya hai Netflix par raj karne,” and while the intention may be to crown Salman Khan’s royal entry, what actually plays out is a bloated, meandering tribute reel to Bhai himself.

In my original review of Sikandar, I called it what it is: a two-hour vanity parade disguised as a social action drama, where storytelling is traded for stylised shots and pseudo-progressive posturing.

Directed by AR Murugadoss, Sikandar positions Salman Khan as a benevolent royal from Rajasthan — a king with no time for his wife (Rashmika Mandanna) because he’s too busy saving a mining community and punching political goons mid-air. When he’s not solving gender inequality or reforming grumpy grandfathers with one soulful glare, he’s surrounded by loyalists willing to form human shields at the slightest threat.

The OTT release now offers viewers a chance to witness all this from the comfort of their couch — including Sharman Joshi tragically wasted as the hero’s glorified assistant, and seasoned actors like Sathyaraj reduced to cartoonish villains yelling into the void.

Even the film’s so-called “woke” moments feel performative at best. From mid-flight assaults on sexist brats to long-winded redemption arcs for misogynistic elders, Sikandar desperately wants credit for championing social causes — without doing the real work of nuance or authenticity. Instead, it wraps progressiveness in syrupy speeches and thunderous background music, all leading to one message: Salman saves.

And that’s the crux of the problem. This isn’t a film; it’s a myth-making exercise. Rashmika gazes adoringly, Kajal Aggarwal simpers in a patriarchal household (despite her distractingly polished appearance), and every single subplot bends to serve one goal: glorify the man in the centre.

So yes, Sikandar is now streaming. But whether you see it as a second chance to catch the action or a cautionary tale in cinematic self-indulgence depends on your Bhai tolerance levels. If you’re in the mood for recycled tropes, emotional manipulation, and the exhausting cult of the all-knowing Salman Khan, Netflix has just the thing.

As for the rest of us — we’ve seen this emperor’s wardrobe before, and no amount of remastering can make it feel new.