Even after a decade, ‘Sultan’ is still a favorite amongst the action dramas of Hindi cinema. The movie, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and stars Salman Khanhe followed a common man’s promotion path in the wrestling ring. Her appeal continued on akhada, with hit songs like ‘Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai’ and ‘Jag Ghoomeya’ adding to her charm. As ‘Sultan’ marks a decade since its release, Ali shares his memories of shooting the film, Khan’s remarkable transformation, and whether a reunion with the star could be on the cards.
Ali Abbas Zafar at the start of ‘Sultan’
In an interview with Variety India, when asked about the origin of the film, Ali replied, “The idea came from the story of a single character who defies all odds and fights his own battle. I have always loved sports. I wanted to make a film that was rooted and earthy, what you call a “desi” film. So, we chose to fight because it is a sport that has a long history in India, and everything is mud, ground, ground, falling down, getting up and trying to fight your opponent and put him down, and in a way that is very similar to life.“
Ali Abbas Zafar how Salman Khan said yes in 15 minutes
He added, “Salman Khan is the only one who can choose this film Aditya Choprasaid there is only one person who can do this, Salman Khan. I agreed wholeheartedly. We decided to do the film only if Salman agreed to do it. When we explained the film to Salman, it took him exactly 15 minutes to say, “I’m doing this.”
Ali Abbas Zafar on the toss Anushka Sharma opposite Salman Khan
When asked about connecting with Anushka Sharma opposite Salman for the first time, Anushka had earlier admitted that she faced some trepidation while working with him and how the initial nervousness faded, she said, “Casting Aarfa opposite Sultan was difficult because we wanted a new pair. It is Sultan’s journey, but that journey is Aarfa. What Anushka brought to this character was amazing. They are different from each other, and I think that in addition to the opposites attract kind of equation. Anyone who doesn’t know Bhai well is intimidated by him. But when you get to know him better, you understand that there is a very dear person behind that stubbornness. When we were shooting the film, at the end, it was smooth because everyone knew each other well. “
Ali Abbas Zafar on a possible fourth film with Salman Khan
On the prospect of collaborating with Salman on the fourth film, he shared, “Everyone keeps telling us that we should work together. I think soon. Once we have the right story and script ready, we will come together and make something special.”