Release Date: 6 July 2016
Starring: Marko Zaror, Salman Khan, Anushka Sharma, Randeep Hooda, Ron Smoorenburg, Marrese Crump, Amit Sadh
Directed by: Ali Abbas Zafar
Produced by: Aditya Chopra
Story: Ali Abbas Zafar
Music by: Vishal-Shekhar
Duration: 170 minutes
Genres: Drama, Action, Romance, Sport
Censor Rating: U/A
About Movie Sultan
It's a journey of a local wrestling hero Sultan Ali Khan (Salman Khan) with dreams of representing India at the Olympics and a feisty small-town girl Aarfa (Anushka Sharma) with high hopes of her own. When the two of them lock horns, romance blossoms instead of resentment and their dreams take a back seat. The road to glory is paved with suffering and looks set to take a lifetime. Things take a turn for worse and his glory days are long gone. Sultan goes for “one last hurrah” to vanquish enemies both in the ring and within him. How many odds must a man beat to find his salvation?
Plot
With its screenplay penned by Aditya Chopra, who is also the film's producer, Sultan is a sports-drama with a high dose of music, romance and emotions. It is the story of a passionate wrestler from Haryana, Sultan Ali Khan (played by Salman Khan), who’s struggling with issues in his professional and personal life. The way in which he fights against all odds to achieve fame at various sports events including 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, 2011 FILA Wrestling World Championships in Istanbul and the 2012 London Olympics, forms the crux of Sultan.
Playing Sultan's lady love is Aarfa (played by Anushka Sharma), who hails from Haryana but doesn’t allow the state’s comforting nature come in the way of her dreams. Randeep Hooda, of Sarbjit fame, would be seen portraying the character of Sultan’s coach who trains him after he has lost touch with Wrestling.
Performances
Salman Khan, in the role of Sultan, a Haryanavi wrestler, has delivered a sterling performance and all the hardwork that he has put in is clearly visible in the sequences featuring him. Khan has fully immersed himself in the soul of Sultan and it is undoubtedly one of his best performances till date. The way in which he has transformed into the character of Sultan even aces Bajrangi Bhaijaan's Pawan Kumar Chaturvedi.
Next is Anushka Sharma, who, in the role of Sultan’s leading lady Aarfa has put in her best efforts. She has done complete justice to her role of a Haryanavi female wrestler. The scene where she broke down emotionally is worth more than the applause of the multitude. She's looked her prettiest even without make-up.
Then there is Randeep Hooda, who, after delivering a stunning performance in Sarbjit is ready to impress the audience with his role of Sultan’s coach. He, along with other actors, including Suzi Khan, Amit Sadh and Tyron Woodley are definitely the best assets of this power-packed flick.
Sultan Music
The music album of the film has all the right elements to be a super hit. It has, in total, 9 tracks with lyrics penned by Irshad Kamil. The opening track is “Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai” which is high on energy and a perfect dance number. The song has Badshah collaborating with talented singers including Vishal Dadlani, Ishita and Shalmali Kholgade.
The “Jag Ghoomeya” song, sung rather beautifully by Rahet Fateh Ali Khan, will become an instant hit among passionate lovers. Then, there is “440 Volt”, a Mika Singh number that's been continuously I tremendous buzz. The title track “Sultan” is a powerful and inspiring song, marking the collaboration of Sukhvinder Singh and Shadab Faridi. The song “Sachi Muchi” has a romantic feel to it and it is sung by Mohit Chauhan and Harshdeep Kaur.
“Bulleya” is the sixth track in the music album and has the melodious voice of Papon. This is a Sufi track with a spiritual feel to it. As yet another fantastic dance number, “Tuk Tuk” is a powerful track with folksy vocals by Nooran Sisters and Vishal Dadlani. The super-talented singer, Neha Bhasin has sung the female version of “Jag Ghoomeya”, which is yet another brilliant number. Lastly, there is “Rise of Sultan” which has been sung by Shekhar Ravjiani and conveys the come-back of Sultan Khan into the world of wrestling. The impactful lyrics of this track will make it one of the most memorable songs of the film.
A well-researched script, power-packed performances by Salman and Anushka and
perfectly executed wrestling scenes are the major upsides of this sports-drama.
What’s Bad?
Slower sequences, poor editing and poor screenplay during the movie’s second half act as major turn-offs.
Verdict
Sultan is an entirely different venture by superstar Salman Khan. Offering a decent entertainment value and backed by stellar performances, Sultan is a must-watch for all 'khaandaans', this Eid.
