Even ten years later, “Sultan” remains a firm favorite among sports dramas in Hindi cinema. The film, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and starring salman khanhe followed the inspiring path of an underdog in the wrestling ring. Its appeal went beyond the akhada, with popular tracks like ‘Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai’ and ‘Jag Ghoomeya’ adding to its charm. As ‘Sultan’ completes a decade since its release, Ali shares memories of the film’s shoot, Khan’s remarkable transformation and whether a reunion with the star could be in the offing.
Ali Abbas Zafar on the origins of the “Sultan”
In a conversation with Variety India, when asked about the origins of the film, Ali shared, “The idea came from a one-liner story of a man who rises against all odds and fights against his own ego. I’ve always been a big fan of sports drama. I wanted to make a film that was rooted and earthy, what you call a ‘desi’ film. So we chose wrestling because it’s a sport that has a long history in India, and it’s about mud, dirt, dirt, falling down, getting up and trying to fight your opponent and knock him down, and in a way that’s very synonymous with life.“
Ali Abbas Zafar on how Salman Khan said yes in 15 minutes
He further added, “Salman Khan was the only choice for this film. When I narrated the story idea Aditya Choprahe said that there is only one person who can play this role, Salman Khan. I wholeheartedly agree. We had decided that we will do this film only if Salman agrees to do it. When we narrated the film to Salman, it took him exactly 15 minutes to say, “I’m doing this.”
Good casting Ali Abbas Zafar Anushka Sharma opposite Salman Khan
When asked about pairing Anushka Sharma with Salman for the first time, Anushka had earlier admitted that she found it intimidating to work with him at first and how that initial awkwardness faded, she said, “It was difficult to cast Aarfa opposite Sultan because we wanted a new pairing. It is Sultan’s journey but this journey is Aarfa. What Anushka brought to the character was phenomenal. They are different from each other, and I think that combined with opposites attract a kind of equation. Anyone who doesn’t know Bhai well finds him intimidating. But once you get to know him, you understand that behind this toughness is a very lovable person. As we shot the film, towards the end, it was very smooth because everyone knew each other so well.”
Ali Abbas Zafar in a possible fourth film with Salman Khan
On the prospect of teaming up with Salman for a fourth film, he shared, “Everyone keeps telling us that we should work together. I think we will very soon. When we have the right story and script ready, we will come together and do something special.”