Sultan is a 2016 Indian Hindi-language sports drama film written and directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and produced by Aditya Chopra under the Yash Raj Films banner. The film stars Salman Khan in the title role and Anushka Sharma as the female lead, with Randeep Hooda, Amit Sadh, Anant Vidhaat and Kumud Mishra in supporting roles. Released on 6 July 2016 to coincide with Eid ul-Fitr, the film centres on a Haryanvi pehlwan (wrestler) who pursues a comeback in mixed martial arts after personal loss.
| Title | Sultan |
|---|---|
| Director | Ali Abbas Zafar |
| Writer | Ali Abbas Zafar |
| Producer | Aditya Chopra |
| Production company | Yash Raj Films |
| Starring | Salman Khan, Anushka Sharma, Randeep Hooda, Amit Sadh |
| Music | Vishal–Shekhar (songs); Julius Packiam (score) |
| Lyrics | Irshad Kamil |
| Cinematography | Artur Zurawski |
| Editor | Rameshwar S. Bhagat |
| Language | Hindi |
| Release date | 6 July 2016 |
| Genre | Sports drama |
Set largely in Haryana, the film follows Sultan Ali Khan, a young man from Rewari who takes up wrestling to win the affection of Aarfa, the daughter of a local wrestling coach and herself an aspiring wrestler. Sultan rises to become a national champion and an Olympic gold medallist, but his ambition strains his marriage and leads to a personal tragedy. Years later, in straitened circumstances, he agrees to train for a Pro Takedown mixed martial arts tournament in order to fund a cause linked to his family, charting a redemptive return to the sport.
Development of the film was announced by Yash Raj Films in 2015. Ali Abbas Zafar, who had earlier directed Salman Khan in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011), wrote the screenplay drawing on the milieu of Indian akhada wrestling and freestyle wrestling at the Olympic level. Salman Khan trained for several months to recreate the physiques of an active wrestler and an out-of-form veteran, while Anushka Sharma underwent wrestling training for her role as a women's freestyle wrestler.
Principal photography took place across locations in Delhi, Haryana (including Rewari and surrounding areas), Punjab and parts of Uttar Pradesh, with additional schedules in Austria. The fight choreography combined Indian-style kushti with mixed martial arts, the latter staged in cage-based bouts modelled on contemporary MMA promotions.
The soundtrack was composed by Vishal–Shekhar with lyrics by Irshad Kamil, and the background score by Julius Packiam. The album was released by YRF Music. Tracks include "Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai", "Jag Ghoomeya", "440 Volt", "Sultan", "Bulleya", "Tukur Tukur" and "Sachi Muchi". "Jag Ghoomeya", sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, and "Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai", sung by Vishal Dadlani, Badshah, Shalmali Kholgade and Ishita, were among the most widely circulated songs of the year.
The film released worldwide on 6 July 2016 during the Eid ul-Fitr weekend, a slot frequently associated with Salman Khan's films. It opened on a wide screen count in India and across overseas markets including the United States, the United Kingdom, the Gulf states and Australia. Sultan emerged as one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2016 at both the domestic and worldwide box office. Critical response was generally positive, with reviewers highlighting Salman Khan's central performance, Anushka Sharma's portrayal of Aarfa, and the production design of the wrestling sequences, while some reviews found the second half formulaic.
The film received nominations at major Hindi film award ceremonies including Filmfare, IIFA, Screen and Zee Cine Awards, with recognition in categories such as Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor (for Randeep Hooda) and several technical categories.
Alongside Dangal (2016) and the earlier Sultan's near contemporary releases, the film contributed to a wave of mainstream Hindi cinema centred on wrestling, particularly the Haryanvi wrestling tradition, and helped popularise mixed martial arts as a setting in popular Indian films. It also marked Ali Abbas Zafar's first collaboration with Salman Khan in a leading role, a partnership that continued with Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) and Bharat (2019).