Fifty years after its initial release, the legendary Hindi film "Sholay," directed by Ramesh Sippy, is making a grand comeback that cinephiles are eagerly anticipating. This cinematic milestone features a world premiere of a fully restored, uncut version at the Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Bologna, Italy, showcasing the film’s original ending, which was modified due to censorship disputes during its first run in 1975.
The screening takes place at the prestigious open-air Piazza Maggiore, offering a beautiful backdrop to the restoration of this cinematic treasure. Featuring an all-star cast, including Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, Sanjeev Kumar, and the memorable Amjad Khan as the villainous Gabbar Singh, "Sholay" intricately woven elements from Western and samurai cinema while remaining deeply rooted in Indian culture.
With a runtime of 204 minutes, "Sholay" tells a classic tale of good versus evil in the fictional village of Ramgarh, where two petty criminals, Jai and Veeru (Bachchan and Dharmendra), are hired to confront the notorious bandit Gabbar Singh. Upon its release, "Sholay" achieved unprecedented success, playing for five years at Mumbai's Minerva theatre and later being voted the "Film of the Millennium" in a BBC India online poll.
The film gained a second life as its memorable dialogues and iconic music captured the hearts of audiences, leading many to quote lines from it at weddings and in political settings. As noted by Dharmendra, "Sholay is the eighth wonder of the world." Amitabh Bachchan also reflected fondly on filming, unaware at the time of its significance in Indian cinema history.
This new version brings back the film’s original ending, where Gabbar Singh meets his fate at the hands of former police officer Thakur Baldev Singh, a conclusion altered by censors who deemed it excessive violence during India's Emergency period. The arduous restoration process took three years, driven by Shehzad Sippy, son of the original director, alongside the Film Heritage Foundation.
Efforts successfully uncovered original camera negatives and sound elements, tracing archival materials from both India and the UK to create a faithful reconstruction. Despite early skepticism about its success, "Sholay," once labeled a "dead ember," became a cultural sensation.
The film’s enduring legacy remains unchallenged, continuing to resonate with audiences worldwide as a testament to justice and epic storytelling, with Bachchan encapsulating its charm: the film represents the enduring victory of good over evil in dramatic cinematic form.
