Mumbai: Sports-based films seem to be taking Bollywood over by storm. From Priyanka Chopra’s ‘Mary Kom’ to more recently Aamir Khan’s ‘Dangal’, and now Salman Khan’s next ‘Sultan’.
Salman will begin shooting for Ali Abbas Zafar’s sports-based film this year after completing ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo’. Deepika Padukone has been paired opposite Salman for the first time.
Salman will be seen playing a boxer in the film, joining the likes of Ranbir Kapoor in ‘Bombay Velvet’, and Sidharth Malhotra-Akshay Kumar in ‘Brothers’, according to a report in DNA.
A source told the daily, “In Sultan, Salman plays the title role of a 40-year-old boxer. It’d require a huge amount of preparation. Salman would have to change his entire physique and body language. It’d entail many months of a strict exercise regime and a new diet control so he can acquire a boxer’s body. With his heavy commitments, Salman is not sure how he will be able to give Sultan the time, attention and single-minded focus it requires.”
While ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ will release on Eid this year, ‘Sultan’ will most likely become Salman’s 2016 Eid release.