In 2009, a Salman Khan flick named Wanted crossed 100 crores in business. Let’s be honest, it was a game-changer. In Wanted, ‘Bhai’ went shirtless, flaunted his 6-pack abs, beat the sh*t out of goons, cracked some jokes, romanced the girl next door, danced like only he can, portrayed his larger-than-life onscreen persona with ease, and threw in a bit of acting here and there! The movie really turned out to be a turning point for Salman’s career. In the years to come, he eventually became the biggest superstar on the Hindi film industry’s cash register.
In his latest outing, Salman portrays a ‘desi’ wrestler named Sultan. The movie takes us through the journey of a humble, aimless young man who gets into wrestling, all thanks to his lady love. Sultan eventually tops all the charts. But all isn’t so hunky-dory as life takes a serious u-turn. Fast forward to today, and we meet a 40-something out-of-shape ex-wrestler who must regain his glory. Sultan trains and gets back in the ring, only to beat all the odds and rise to the top again.
A typical, much-predictable underdog saga, backed by a somewhat lackluster love story revolving around ‘akhadas’ and MMA wrestling rings. Oh, and let’s not forget Salman Khan who isn’t even showing off his 6-packs. Sultan is engaging, but honestly, it might not have worked in 2006.
But this is 2016, and it’s that one paunch scene where Salman truly shines with his intense expressions. What follows is an emotional display of a man who refuses to give up. Salman has been the male pin-up model and motivation for many to hit the gym since the ’90s. Rocking an out-of-shape midriff must have been a real challenge for him. But the fact is, Sultan isn’t a Dabangg where Salman has the power of the uniform; it isn’t a Kick where he’s the mastermind behind executing world-class robberies. Instead, it’s more of a Bajrangi Bhaijaan where he’s the underdog with a heart of gold (and a paunch! 😜).
Both Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Sultan crossing 300 crores is a testament to how Salman Khan doesn’t always need to play larger-than-life roles. It’s also a validation that he is the hero of the masses. Six-packs or a paunch, an invincible superhero or an underdog, Salman Khan truly is the heartthrob of the nation today.
