Salman praised Rashmika, sharing how she managed to balance Pushpa 2, Sikandar despite problems

Shefali Fernandes

The excitement surrounding Sikandar, starring Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna, continues to soar with each passing day. On Sunday, March 23, the much-awaited trailer was unveiled, with the Free Press Journal in attendance, alongside the cast of Sikandar, including Kajal Aggarwal, Sharman Joshi, Anjini Dhawan, and Sathyaraj. During the trailer launch event, Salman praised Rashmika for her dedication to Sikandar and shared that she managed to shoot for Pushpa 2 alongside Sikandar, brilliantly balancing both films.

Salman said, "Miss (Rashmika) Mandana here has given it her best. She was shooting for Pushpa 2, and she would finish shooting at around 7 o'clock and then join us at 9 o'clock in the evening. She would work with us until 6:30 in the morning and then go back to work for Pushpa 2, and she was not well as well. Even after breaking her leg, she still shot with us and didn’t cancel a single day. She reminds me a lot of myself—a younger version of me, meaning yesterday’s me."

Further, Salman joked that the audience always helps his films cross Rs 100 crore, regardless of whether the film is good or bad. When asked about returning with his film’s release on Eid, the 59-year-old actor said, "Eid, Diwali, New Year, festive, non-festive– it’s the love of the people and picture achi ho ya buri ho, wo sau (Rs 100 crore) toh paar kara hi dete hain."

Rashmika talked about box-office pressures after giving the latest hits like Pushpa 2 and Chhaava. She said, "That is not on us. It is thanks to the incredible directors and actors that I got this opportunity to do films with. I feel like all the credit goes to them because if I had any sort of power over it, then, of course, my entire career would have been so different."

She added, "I got this opportunity to work with someone like Salman (Khan); what could be bigger than that? And AR Murugadoss, I’ve always wanted to work with him because I entered the industry 8 years ago, but I’ve been watching his work since way before I joined. Watching him do his films is incredibly beautiful; they have so much emotion. I really wanted to work with him, and I got this opportunity today. I'm really honoured."

"And Sajid (Nadiadwala), — I think for this film, it’s the first time Sir called me and said, 'Listen, we’ve wanted to work with each other, and I have a great script for you,' and that’s when it all started. It’s been super special," added the actress.

Sharman praised Salman and said, "It's been a wonderful journey. Salman Sir was nothing like I had heard before. Everyone says he is a gem, and he truly is. I got to experience it for the first time, and I really felt honoured to share the screen space with him." Sikandar is backed by Sajid Nadiadwala’s banner, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and is slated for a theatrical release on 30 March 2025, on the occasion of Eid.