Salman agreed to do 'Sultan' in only 15 minutes: Director
What's the story
Ten years after its release, Sultan remains one of the most iconic sports dramas in Hindi cinema. The film, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and starring Salman Khan, told the story of an underdog who won in life through his determination and love for wrestling. In a recent interview with Variety India, Zafar revealed how he got Khan on board for this project.
Casting decision
'Only 1 person can play this role...': Zafar
Zafar revealed that Khan was his only choice for the titular role. "When I narrated the story idea to Aditya Chopra, he said there's only one person who can play this role, Salman Khan." "We had decided that we'll make 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.'"
Actor's dedication
Zafar lauded Khan's hard work for the film
Zafar praised Khan's dedication to the role, from his physical transformation to speaking Haryanvi and learning wrestling. "Salman Khan gave everything as an actor to Sultan...the kind of hard work he put in learning wrestling, to putting and losing weight, was incredible." "I was not worried because the day I narrated him the story, he said, 'This story requires a certain kind of transformation, and I'll do that.'"
Casting insights
On casting Aarfa and Sultan's coach
Zafar faced challenges in casting Aarfa opposite Sultan as they wanted a fresh pairing. He praised Anushka Sharma's performance, saying she brought something phenomenal to the character. "They're unlike each other, and I think that added to the opposites attract kind of an equation." Zafar also revealed that Randeep Hooda was chosen to play Sultan's coach after discussions with other actors like Sylvester Stallone didn't work out due to scheduling conflicts.
Memorable moment
Most memorable moment from 'Sultan'
Zafar shared his most memorable moment from the film, which was a scene where Sultan realizes he's physically unfit. "That scene for me on paper was just one line. I told him from day one that this is the make-or-break scene of the film." "When he performed that scene, we had only one take. He just nailed it in the first take...all of us had tears in our eyes."
Personal bond
Will we see Salman-Zafar work together again?
Zafar also spoke about his personal bond with Khan, saying they don't interact like a typical director and actor. "I consider him my elder brother. So, I'm very honest with him and so is he." He added that they've had disagreements, but his respect for Khan remains unchanged due to the actor's emotional nature, hard work, and passion for his work. Zafar hinted at a possible fourth collaboration (after Sultan, Tiger Zinda Hai, and Bharat) with Khan in the future.