Alright, let’s cut the fancy talk—here’s the real scoop on Sultan (2016). If you’re a Bollywood junkie or just bored on a Friday night, this one probably crashed into your radar at some point. It’s got Salman Khan, abs out, emotional backstory, punches, and a pretty killer soundtrack. I mean, the hype was everywhere, and honestly, for once? The movie kinda lives up to it.
🚀 The Basics
Sultan hit theaters July 6, 2016 and—let’s not kid ourselves—immediately started printing money. Ali Abbas Zafar directed, Yash Raj Films pumped cash into it, and BOOM! Suddenly everyone and their grandma was doing the "Jag Ghoomeya" shuffle at weddings. Salman’s Sultan Ali Khan is this beefy wrestler dude from Haryana. He falls for Anushka Sharma’s Aarfa, who’s also a wrestler with zero patience for anybody’s nonsense, especially not overconfident dudes. Naturally, he tries to impress her by jumping into the wrestling ring, discovers he’s not too shabby at it, and aims for Olympic glory. Shockingly, things go sideways (because of, you know, ego, tragedy, Bollywood tropes) and he hits rock bottom.
Cue: redemption arc. Fast forward—Sultan’s out to prove he’s still got it, this time in MMA. The movie piles on blood, sweat, a truckload of tears, and motivational quotes that’ll have your uncle sending you WhatsApp forwards for months.
🎭 Cast—Salman Does What Salman Does
Salman Khan? He’s 100% in this, muscles and melodrama. Honestly, probably one of his strongest performances—less over-the-top, more actual feels. Anushka Sharma’s Aarfa seriously holds her own, none of that “stand-in-the-corner-and-smile” nonsense. Props to Randeep Hooda as the grumpy MMA coach too—the guy just chews up his scenes in the best possible way. The supporting crew rounds it out, making Haryana feel like Haryana, instead of a generic movie village.
🎵 That Soundtrack, Though
Can’t talk about Sultan and not mention the music. Vishal-Shekhar dropped some heaters, not even gonna lie. "Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai" lived rent-free in everyone’s head summer ’16 (and probably still pops up at wedding sangeets today). "Jag Ghoomeya" is full-on feels material, and the title track? Motivation on loop.
🎬 Punches, Sweat & Tears
The action? Brutal. Not the “cartoon fight” Bollywood usually serves up—these fights look and feel heavy. Salman apparently trained like crazy for this, and you can totally tell. Bonus: Haryana looks dope on-screen. The whole rural-meets-cage-fight vibe actually works.
💡 What’s The Point?
More than a sports movie (yawn), it dings you with the classic “never give up” spiel, but with less cheese than usual. It’s about busting your ego, chasing what matters, fighting for love, and other stuff Instagram quotes are made of. And it’s got enough heart to keep you invested.
💸 Money Money Money
Box office? Sultan basically robbed the bank. Over 600 crores worldwide—no joke. Biggest Bollywood hit of 2016 by a mile. Eid release helped, sure, but people legit loved it. IMDb handed it a solid 7/10, and critics didn’t hate either (Times of India: 4/5, NDTV: 3.5/5). Folks online wouldn’t shut up about it, and Salmaniacs went wild.
🥊 Last Word
Sultan’s not rocket science, but man, it packs a punch—literally and emotionally. Great action, lotsa soul, killer songs, and leads who actually act. Bollywood loves a redemption story, and this one lands. So, wanna watch Salman get knocked down and climb back up again, all wrapped in catchy tunes? Go for it. Not watching this if you’re into motivational Bollywood flicks or King Khan himself is almost criminal. Just saying.