Year: 2016
Runtime: 170 min
Language: Tamil
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Budget: $13M
A small-town wrestling champion, Sultan Ali Khan, sets his sights on Olympic gold, while the ambitious Aarfa seeks to achieve her own goals. Their lives intersect, sparking a passionate romance complicated by fierce rivalry. As they strive for victory, they must confront the challenges of competition and the pain of potential failure, learning valuable lessons about perseverance and the pursuit of dreams.
Warning: spoilers below!
Haven’t seen Sultan yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!
Read the complete plot breakdown of Sultan (2016), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Sultan Ali Khan, portrayed by Salman Khan, is an ex-wrestling champion in his middle age, leading a mediocre and lonely existence in a small town in Haryana. Meanwhile, Aakash Oberoi, the ambitious founder of a private mixed martial arts league, is encouraged by his father to recruit an Indian wrestler to rejuvenate the league’s dwindling popularity. When Aakash visits Haryana to make an offer to Sultan, he is met with a firm refusal, as Sultan claims he has completely retired from wrestling. Curious about Sultan’s retirement, Aakash speaks with Sultan’s close friend, Govind, who shares the story of Sultan’s rise and fall.
Flashback eight years: Sultan’s life changes when he meets Aarfa Hussain, a talented state-level wrestler and the daughter of a local coach. At first, Aarfa is cold to Sultan, but they gradually become friends. When Sultan declares her as his girlfriend, Aarfa dismisses him, expressing her desire to marry an accomplished wrestler. Driven by love, Sultan commits to grueling training routines and impressively wins a state-level wrestling tournament, eventually earning Aarfa’s affection.
Their marriage leads to both becoming celebrated wrestlers, proudly representing India in various international tournaments, including the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. Just as they prepare for the Olympic Games, Aarfa discovers she is pregnant. Making a significant sacrifice, she relinquishes her Olympic dreams, allowing Sultan to shine instead. However, as Sultan basks in glory, he grows arrogant, ignoring Aarfa’s concerns about her impending childbirth. While pursuing yet another championship, tragedy strikes—upon his return, he learns that their newborn son has died due to severe anemia, a loss tied to his rare blood type. Enraged and heartbroken, Aarfa decides to leave Sultan and return to her father, plunging him into profound despair.
In the present, Aakash presents Sultan with an enticing opportunity to join his league, promising that the tournament’s prize money could help Sultan fulfill his dream of opening a blood bank in Haryana. Despite his physical decline, Sultan decides to accept the challenge, and they travel to Delhi, where Aakash introduces him to Fateh Singh, a seasoned mixed martial arts coach. Under Fateh’s guidance, Sultan undergoes rigorous training and gradually regains his former athletic physique.
Though his initial matches are tough, he eventually triumphs with the unique wrestling style that made him famous. Sultan’s resurgence as a nationwide sensation rekindles support from Aarfa, and during the semi-final, he wins again, only to be met with severe injuries that lay him in a hospital bed. With the doctor warning that further fighting could be fatal, Aarfa finds Sultan during his vulnerable moment and reconciles with him, urging him to persevere. With renewed determination, Sultan grapples with his pain, fighting against all odds to claim victory in the final match and win the tournament.
Reunited, Sultan and Aarfa use the prize money to establish a blood bank, fulfilling Sultan’s long-held dream. A few years later, their family grows with the birth of a baby girl, whom Sultan begins to train as a future wrestler, signaling a hopeful new chapter for their lives.
Last Updated: October 27, 2024 at 17:42
Still wondering what the ending of Sultan (2016) really means? Here’s a spoiler-heavy breakdown of the final scene, major twists, and the deeper themes that shape the film’s conclusion.
In the ending of Bogeyman, Sultan’s journey reaches a turning point when he learns about his children, Malek and Mariem, and the truth of their mother’s death. Throughout the film, Sultan has tried to dismiss or ignore his responsibilities, but the discovery that his ex-wife has passed away and that his children have been left without a mother deeply impacts him. He initially struggles with accepting Malek and Mariem, but the emotional connection grows stronger as he realizes how much they need him. This realization transforms Sultan from a ruthless criminal into a man who wants to genuinely protect and care for his children, giving his life a new purpose.
Meanwhile, the scene with the statue and the money reveals the chaos of Sultan’s life. Soka is entrusted with the final job, but betrayal lurks, as Salma, a woman involved with Soka, manipulates the situation to her advantage. Shokry chases Sultan, leading to a series of explosive events, including police interventions and a car crash. Despite the danger, Sultan manages to avoid capture by tricking the police and pretending the money in his possession was a result of self-defense. When he finally finds the bags, they are empty except for a letter from Salma. It turns out she took the money because she believed it was her duty to accept the chaos and find her own way, thinking it was divine intervention.
In the end, Sultan and Soka track down Salma in London, where she is caught trying to sell the statue. When confronted, Salma admits to taking the money, but insists she planned to return it. Sultan’s journey from a feared gangster to a man seeking redemption culminates in this confrontation. Although he might not get all the money back, the story hints at his potential to become a better person for his children’s sake, showing that beneath the rough exterior, there is still hope for change. Salma’s fate remains uncertain, but her mistake seems to serve as a final lesson, illustrating that even in chaos, there can be moments of redemption and the possibility of a new beginning for Sultan.
Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 09:00
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Athletes climb back from rock bottom to reclaim glory and purpose.If you enjoyed Sultan's story of a wrestler's fall and rise, this thread features movies like Creed, The Wrestler, and Warrior. These similar sports dramas focus on powerful redemption arcs, intense comebacks, and the heavy emotional weight of reclaiming one's life and career.
The narrative typically follows a three-act structure: a rapid rise to fame, a catastrophic fall caused by personal failure or profound loss, and a slow, painful climb back to victory that is as much about healing the soul as it is about winning. The climax is often a high-stakes sporting event that serves as the ultimate test of the protagonist's redemption.
Movies in this thread are grouped by their shared focus on an athlete's redemption journey. They blend high-intensity sports action with heavy emotional drama, creating a powerful and inspiring viewing experience centered on perseverance, sacrifice, and overcoming immense adversity.
A great personal loss becomes the catalyst for a heroic return.For viewers who appreciated how Sultan's love story and tragic loss powered its redemption arc, this thread collects movies like Southpaw and The Fighter. These films share a theme where a deep personal tragedy related to love inspires a character's difficult but inspiring journey back.
The plot is driven by a powerful love story that is severed by a sudden, devastating tragedy (often a death). The protagonist enters a period of despair and self-destruction, before finding the strength to rebuild their life, channeling their grief and love into a goal that honors the memory of the one they lost.
These films are connected by the specific narrative mechanism of using a tragic love story as the primary engine for a redemption plot. The emotional core is the heavy weight of grief transformed into a motive for perseverance, creating a deeply passionate and melancholic yet hopeful vibe.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Sultan in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Sultan is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of Sultan with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Sultan. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
What really happened at the end of Sultan? This detailed ending explained page breaks down final scenes, hidden clues, and alternate interpretations with expert analysis and viewer theories.
Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Sultan that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Sultan: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.
Discover movies like Sultan that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.
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