Boxing might well be the new cricket. The nation might currently be obsessed with the exploits of the boys in blue, but Bollywood is more fascinated with men in shorts right now.
Boxing might well be the new cricket. The nation might currently be obsessed with the exploits of the boys in blue, but Bollywood is more fascinated with men in shorts right now.
Actor-producer John Abraham has expressed a desire to make a film on boxing and cast former world champion David Haye, with whom he has collaborated for a flagship fitness-cum-boxing center. Ranbir Kapoor is reportedly will be seen boxing as a street fighter in Bombay Velvet. Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra are playing boxers in Brothers and now, it can be revealed that Salman Khan, too, will play one in Ali Abbas Zafar's Sultan.
Brothers hits the screen this year and it has been reported that Salman's Sultan will release on Eid 2016. Why is boxing suddenly hot in B-Town? It's all thanks to boxers like Mary Kom, Vijender Kumar, Akhil Kumar, Jitender Kumar, A.L. Lakra, and Dinesh Kumar and their ilk who have brought glory to India at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. The sports once ignored is now getting it's due merit and is attracting eyeballs and interest of the youth. There's even Honey Singh's boxing league!
A source reveals, "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."
Akshay already has a boxer's physique. But Salman is committed to finish Sooraj Barjatya's Prem Ratan Dhan Payo and Kabir Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan. He can't afford to shed his current look. How will he manage to make time and the body for this role is something that the actor has to figure out.
Maine Boxing Kiya
In his first major role in Maine Pyaar Piya, Prem (Salman Khan) gets into a boxing match with Jeevan (Mohnish Behl), to defend his girlfriend Suman (Bhagyashree)and defeats him. It was an important turning point in the film. Many scenes show a pair of boxing gloves hanging over the door in Prem's room. It is reported Sooraj Barjatya has once again incorporated a boxing sequence featuring Salman in his next film Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.
Vijendra Singh on Salman
"Salman is a great boxer and is fit. He knows boxing well and we have spoken about punches. He trained in Cuba for three months during Ek Tha Tiger. In fact, he gave me tips on boxing. He told me he almost played a tournament, but dropped the idea as he got busy in shoots."
Past pugilists
In 1984, Mithun Chakbraborty played a boxer in Raj N Sippy's Boxer. The film is best remembered for Mithunda's climactic fight with Sharat Saxena in the boxing arena. Anil Kapoor also played a boxer in Indra Kumar's Rishta, loosely based on The Champ. But nothing like the Sylvester Stallone series of Rocky films has ever been attempted in Hindi.
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