Critics’ Verdict: ‘Sultan’ Is a Winner, Thanks to Salman Khan

Check out what critics are saying about Salman Khan’s new release ‘Sultan’

Film: Sultan
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Cast: Salman Khan, Anushka Sharma

Excerpts from reviews of Sultan:

Sultan has him (Salman Khan) breaking free from Bhai-giri bondage by getting his character to crack and bleed. His down-and-out wrestler has foibles, is fallible, is human. Sultan Ali Khan has faults, and is punished for it. Because of which Sultan scores, and delivers a solid entertainer with heft.

Shubhra Gupta (IndianExpress.com)

...the woman is consistently dignified and blessed with an equal status, a super-surprise for a sports film in which Salman Khan is its mega-selling point. Which Khan surely is, occupying almost every frame throughout the running length of 170 minutes, but fortuitously, never at the expense of downsizing the leading lady as well as the abundant ensemble of characters who make an impact even in brisk cameos. Anushka Sharma, subtracted of glamour, is impressive, using her eye language often to do the talking. Randeep Hooda, in an abbreviated role of a reluctant coach, does make his presence felt although just about. Amit Sadh, as a sports entrepreneur, is inspired. Behind the scenes, all’s professional but would have meant zilch if it weren’t for Ali Abbas Zafar’s screenplay and dialogue. Quite a quantum leap ahead for the writer-director who once gave us the tedious Mere Brother Ki Dulhan and the brain-bashing Gunday.

Khalid Mohamed (Spotboye.com)

Salman, who kicks up a lot of dust in bringing Sultan Ali Khan alive, sports a cat-that-got-the-cream look all through the film. It is heightened by a roll of the moustache every time he triumphs over an opponent. Anushka, Amit Sadh, Anant Vidhaat (as Sultan’s friend Govind) and Kumud Mishra make their presence felt in no uncertain terms. In a special appearance, Randeep Hooda makes all the right moves.But Sultan is a Salman Khan film made solely for the superstar’s fans. It has everything to please its target audience. It has megahit written all over it.

Saibal Chatterjee (Movies.Ndtv.com)

Using this basic and predictable sporting drama template, writer and director Ali Abbs Zafar drafts the most comprehensive mythos around Salman Khan yet. Every frame of Sultan will have deep significance for Khan’s numerous fans, who have stuck by Hindi cinema’s notorious prodigal son despite his frequent off-screen controversies. The screenplay’s by-the-numbers quality would have been severely exposed if any other actor had been cast as the lead. If Sultan remains engaging throughout its staggering 170-minute run-time, it’s because of what it says about the actor rather than the character.

Nandini Ramnath (Scroll.in)