Sikandar was the greatest success of Minerva Movietone, which specialized, in historic spectacles. Its lavish mounting, huge sets and production values equals the Best of Hollywood then particularly for its rousing and spectacular battle scenes and was rated by a British writer as... "…well up to the standard of that old masterpiece The Birth of a Nation."

The film follows pure Parsee theatre using frontal composition and staging the narrative in spatial layers. Its dramatic, declamatory dialogues give both Prithviraj Kapoor and Sohrab Modi free reign to their histrionic proclivities.

It is easily Prithviraj Kapoor's best known performance. He makes a handsome, dashing Sikander and the film heightens his enduring reputation for playing royalty, enhanced further by his role as Akbar in Mughal-e-Azam (1960). He is more than ably supported by Sohrab Modi's portrayal of Porus. Vanamala makes a most beautiful heroine while the film sees the film debut of 'Lara Lappa girl' Meena Shorey.

The release of the film coincided with World War II at its peak and in India too the political atmosphere was tense, following Gandhiji's call to Civil Disobedience. Sikandar further aroused patriotic feelings and national sentiment. Thus though Sikander was approved by the Bombay censor board, it was later banned from some of the theatres serving army cantonments. However its appeal to nationalism was so great and direct, it remained popular for years.

It was revived in Delhi in 1961 during the Indian March into Goa.