Salman Khan’s Sikandar Co-Star Jatin Sarna Defends Him Amid AR Murugadoss’ ‘Lack Of Punctuality’ Allegations; Says, “Seth Is Very Hardworking”

Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna came together for the first time in A. R. Murugadoss’ action drama Sikandar, which released in 2025. The film also featured Kajal Aggarwal, Anjini Dhawan, Sharman Joshi, Sathyaraj and Prateik Babbar in key roles. Despite the star-studded lineup and high expectations, the film failed to perform strongly at the box office. Following its underperformance, Murugadoss reportedly attributed the outcome to Salman Khan’s alleged lack of punctuality and commitment during the shoot, a claim the actor dismissed as “convenient.” Now, actor Jatin Sarna, who played a taxi driver in the film, has addressed the controversy and spoken in defence of the superstar.

Salman Khan’s Sikandar Co-Star Jatin Sarna Defends Him Amid AR Murugadoss’ ‘Lack Of Punctuality’ Allegations

Sharing his views, Jatin Sarna told to The Lallantop, “I seriously can’t pinpoint the failure on any one thing. I just know that everyone was working hard. I call Salman sir Seth. So, Seth is very hardworking. He used to come on time and work very hard. The director’s vision was shaping up very well at that time. If you analyze it that way, it’s a very wonderful story.”

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He further highlighted the actor’s commitment during the shoot, recalling instances when Salman continued working despite injuries. “If I’m not wrong, Salman sir said in an interview that he has a particular style of working. So, the director might have said, ‘Yes, I don’t have a problem.’ Cut to: as far as I know, Seth would arrive before my call time. He would be exercising and cycling even though his ribs were broken and he had a shoulder issue. The taxi in the scene was very small, so it was very tough for a man to go in and out. He was doing all of that. He was there singing, dancing, and doing everything.”

Jatin Sarna also shared that Salman Khan balanced multiple commitments while filming the project. According to the actor, Salman often completed shoots for Bigg Boss 18 before arriving on the sets of Sikandar. Despite long hours and fatigue, Sarna noted that the superstar still made it to the set on time and remained committed to the work.

When AR Murugadoss Blamed Salman Khan For Sikandar’s Box Office Failure

Earlier, director AR Murugadoss spoke about the challenges of working with a major star while discussing the film in an interview. He said, “It’s not easy to shoot with a star. Even day scenes, we have to shoot at night because he turns up on set only by 8 pm. We are used to shooting right from early mornings, but that’s not how things work there.”

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Salman Khan later responded to the remark while hosting Bigg Boss 18’s Weekend Ka Vaar. Addressing the discussion around punctuality, the actor suggested that attributing the film’s performance solely to his schedule was unfair. He also pointed out that Murugadoss’ 2025 Tamil action thriller Madhraasi, starring Sivakarthikeyan, did not perform well at the box office either, despite the actor reportedly arriving on set on time.

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Also Read: Salman Khan REACTS To Sikandar Director AR Murugadoss’ Statement About His Punctuality; Says, “Meri Pasaliyan Tooti Thi”

Varsha Tiwari

Varsha Tiwari is a budding content writer passionate about Bollywood, pop culture, and the stories behind the spotlight. She enjoys breaking down trends, celebrity moments, and film narratives into engaging, reader-friendly content. Always curious and observant, she is currently pursuing a Master’s in Communication and Journalism. Outside of writing, she enjoys painting because storytelling doesn’t always need words to make an impact.