‘Sultan’ Movie Review: Salman Khan’s best Eidi till date

Directed by: Ali Abbas Zafar
Produced by: Aditya Chopra
Cast: Salman Khan, Anushka Sharma, Amit Sadh, Randeep Hooda
Duration: 2 hours 50 minute
Bollywood Bubble Rating: 4/5

Superstar Salman Khan‘s films releasing on an Eid festival is not a surprise, the film’s turning out to be huge blockbusters isn’t surprising either, but what came as a surprise in director Ali Abbas Zafar’s ‘Sultan’ is the fact that Salman has worked extremely hard to play the titular role. With baddies flying all around him in all his action films, it looks effortless, or he makes it look like that. In ‘Sultan’ all the punches and kicks fall hard on him and the audience as well. By the time the film is over, you feel badly beaten up, yet feel happy for Sultan and his Aarfa, played amazingly well by Anushka Sharma.

In the form of ‘Sultan,’ Salman got his best Eidi, which he passed on to his fans, by adding his sweat and blood to it. To the director’s credit, ‘Sultan’ is everything against the grain of a typical Salman Khan film, yet manages to pack in all the things Salman Khan’s brand of cinema stands for. The trailer of the film is a total give away – you already know what will happen – but how, when and what is the question. Yash Raj Films seems to have gotten the template of this genre perfect – it’s almost a revisit to ‘Chak De! India’ – where a shamed sportsman reclaims his lost glory. The performances by the main actors is what stands out.

Salman has given a knockout performance, and so has Anushka. Wrestling is a tough sport that involves physical contact, and you are almost naked. It takes a lot to look like a believable wrestler and fight and win over those who look like serious professionals in the sport. The leading man and his fierce ladylove come across as they have been wrestling all their lives – that itself is more than half the battle won. The supporting cast including Amit Sadh, Parikshit Sahni, Kumud Mishra and a cameo by Randeep Hooda adds to the film and how! Mixed martial arts as a sport is intense and near fatal, and the director has used this to good effect.

The music by Vishal-Shekhar is slightly problematic – though the songs are good on their own, but they stick out in the narrative, especially the ‘440 volt’ sung by Mika Singh was easily avoidable. Having said that, the background music does justice to all the scenes. The editing credited to Rameshwar Bhagat takes you through Sultan’s journey, his rise, fall and final redemption smoothly. The cinematography by Artur Zurawski is so amazing that at many occasions you can feel the mud on your face. There are some scenes that are a bit hard to digest, but then it is a Salman Khan film after all.

Ali Abbas Zafar’s ‘Sultan’ makes you laugh, feel sad, cry, and cheer for him all through. There are moments between Sultan and Aarfa that are really heart wrenching, and you pray that may all good things happen to them. This is an all-round entertainer, and a must watch this festive season. Remember to carry some tissues, you can feel Sultan’s pain, both physical and emotional, the latter more than the former.

P.S. 1: In ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’, there was a plug for Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Dilwale’, now in Sultan there is a plug for Aamir Khan’s ‘Dangal’. Watch the film and you’ll find out. Well done, Salman, we saw what you did.

P.S. 2: Eid Mubarak.

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