It has been five decades since the release of the iconic film Sholay. In this time, it has grown to be beyond box office numbers or memes or quotable quotes. It is a part of India's pop culture, its cultural fabric. Best friends are often called Jai-Veeru ki jodi. Any obnoxious person is dubbed Gabbar Singh. And the Thakur jokes never get old. It is a film unlike any other in the history of Indian cinema. Naturally, given this all-encompassing penetration in the Indian psyche, many have tried to recreate the magic. And none have succeeded.
Ramesh Sippy on Sholay
Ahead of the film's 50th anniversary, its director Ramesh Sippy talks to Hindustan Times in an exclusive chat about how the film was born and what continues to keep it so relevant five decades on.
Sippy credits the film's writers, Salim-Javed, for a large part of its success. "Salim-Javed have had a very important part in my journey as a filmmaker, be it Sholay, Seeta Aur Geeta, or Shakti. So, writers are always dear to me. They breathe life into stories like Sholay," he says.
On Sholay's continued relevance
Starring Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Amjad Khan, Jaya Bachchan, and Hema Malini, Sholay was publicised as 'the greatest cast ever assembled and the greatest story ever told'. After a slow start at the box office, Sholay picked up fabulously, becoming the highest-grossing Indian film, a record it held for over a decade. The film still holds the record for most tickets sold by an Indian film.
The success of Sholay led to a few 'copycat' films across industries, many parodies, and one ill-fated remake directed by Ram Gopal Varma. None of these films has been able to recapture the magic of the original. We ask Sippy for his secret sauce, and he says, smiling, "If you find out, let me know too." The filmmaker says that the success of something like Sholay cannot be decoded or understood. "It must be just enjoyed," he adds.
{{/usCountry}}The success of Sholay led to a few 'copycat' films across industries, many parodies, and one ill-fated remake directed by Ram Gopal Varma. None of these films has been able to recapture the magic of the original. We ask Sippy for his secret sauce, and he says, smiling, "If you find out, let me know too." The filmmaker says that the success of something like Sholay cannot be decoded or understood. "It must be just enjoyed," he adds.
{{/usCountry}}Even though it airs on TV every so often and has seen many re-releases, Sippy does not watch Sholay very often. He does plan to, now. "I will watch it for the 50th anniversary," he tells us.
Sholay re-release
A 4k restored version of Sholay will screen at the 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival in September this year. The film has been restored in 4K by Film Heritage Foundation in association with Sippy Films Pvt. Ltd. An India premiere has not been announced yet.
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