Of Sultan, Succession, and Family Businesses

It is no secret that I am a Bollywood aficionado. Until a few years ago, I claimed that I watched 95% of all released Hindi movies. That statement no longer holds as I have gotten busier, and the number of movies released yearly has also increased. Like many other things, I cannot keep up and often prioritise. Though, I make it a point not to miss any top releases. I even watched Lal Singh Chaddha on the big screen (please imagine the cringing emoji)!

"Kisi ka bhai kisi ki jaan" was released on Eid this year, as most of Salman Bhai's movies do. I had a serious conversation with myself. After much deliberation, I decided to give it a miss. I guess the decision itself was a no-brainer. The question troubling me was, "Will I still qualify as a Bollywood junkie if I gave it a miss?" Guess some questions are best left unanswered.

For old-time's sake and all the Salman Khan movies I have enjoyed, I decided to revisit Sultan. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. I keep re-watching a few movies, especially when I am short of time and know precisely what I want to watch. Somehow, while Chak De and Dangal are top of the list of movies I have watched the maximum number of times, Sultan never made it to that list. I shall correct this miss now.

So, I started watching Sultan. The movie starts with a boardroom scene. Aakash Oberoi (Amit Sadh), son of billionaire industrialist Gyan Singh Oberoi (Parikshit Sahni), was struggling to convince investors to support him for another six months. Aakash was convinced about the potential of Pro-Takedown Wrestling. However, Cricket seemed to be the only sport that pulled the public in India. He had only six months to prove himself. Here, a scene caught my attention, which I missed in 2016, when I watched it in the theatre, as I missed the movie's first 10-15 minutes. Also, my family business antenna is much more sensitive now.

Back to Sultan. It is a conversation between the father and the son in the Pro-Takedown arena.

Aakash tells his father, "Dad, you were right. This sport has no future."

[Lesson 1: The older generation has the experience and should not be written off, even if they do not have fancy degrees.]

Gyan replies, "There is a future. You just cannot see it."

[Lesson 2: Once the next-gen admits their older generation was right, they are again proven wrong. At this point, the older generation comes all out to support the venture by the next-gen.]

In a contemplative mood, Aakash replies, "You know, this sport is a hit worldwide. Westerners are crazy for it."

Gyan counters, "We are not Westerners. This is the problem with your generation. Everything important seems 'cool' to you."

[Lesson 3: Understand the local market.]

A confused Aakash asks, "What are you trying to say, Dad?"

Gyan explains, "I am trying to say that this sport does have a future in India. But not in the hands of Westerners. India is a country with different values. It is a country where own people, relationships, and patriotism are valued. When an Indian really beats a white man in this stadium, that is when all your seats will fill up."

[Lesson 4: Appeal to the emotions of people.]

Of course, the rest of the movie is about how Sultan (Salman Khan) goes on to win the Pro-Takedown Wrestling championship. And how Gyan is proud of his son, Aakash.

The scene that I have narrated above seemed so natural. I could visualise family business leaders having such conversations with their scions. It is common for them to oppose an idea if they do not understand it. However, it is also common for parents in India to go all out to support their children once children have jumped into something. The investors come on board because of the family's reputation and connections. The next generation faces steep media scrutiny as they are constantly compared to their successful parents. The previous generation's experience is readily available and invaluable (Gyan suggested to Aakash that he should get Sultan to compete).

Furthermore, a peer group that can extend support when needed (like getting sponsorship for Sultan from Kukreja, a friend). In short, a rich resources basket. The movie also depicts how the next generation is conscious about losing money, living up to expectations, and making their own mark. It is not easy for them.

The reason the scene between Gyan and Aakash struck a chord and stayed with me long enough for me to write this piece is that I have been watching season 4 of the popular HBO series Succession. Even though the first three seasons were nowhere close to how Indian business families are, in my humble opinion. Watch out for another article on the series "Succession" and Indian business families. Coming soon!

As Gyan said, "We are not Westerners." It is time our producers, directors, and scriptwriters came up with an indigenous "Succession" series. I hope someone is listening. Bollywood!