Mumbai: From the cast, which included Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini, to the writers and director, the team behind the timeless Bollywood blockbuster Sholay celebrated its 40th anniversary on Saturday.
The film, directed by Ramesh Sippy, was penned by former screenwriter duo Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar and also starred Dharmendra, Jaya Bhaduri (later Bachchan), Sanjeev Kumar and Amjad Khan.
“I am overwhelmed when people say sweet things [and] remember Sholay. I am humbled by the praise. It is not a one-man show. There are several people, who deserve this appreciation, from actors to writers to musicians to director to producer to rest of the technical team,” Sippy told PTI.
“People remember the dialogues, the characters. I feel lucky that Sholay happened. I am glad I got the opportunity to direct the film. People remember it even today it has become like a mythology like Mahabharata.”
Khan, father of superstar Salman Khan, struggled to describe his feelings over the love and adulation the film has received over four decades.
“I don’t have anything else to say. Sholay is a big hit. Audience has loved it. What more should I speak? It shows what it means,” he said.
Shadaab Khan, son of Amjad, called the movie a landmark in the Hindi film industry.
Amjad immortalised Gabbar, the ruthless villain, and thanks to the dialogues and the actor’s powerful performance, Gabbar is considered a benchmark for any negative role in Bollywood.
“It is a golden age of cinema but it’s matter of pride that Sholay is still remembered by everyone. It is a rare film. It is closest to [a] perfect film in making, story, acting and technical aspect. It was a landmark film and role but to my father it was like any other role. I loved him in Sholay,” said Shadaab.
“Sholay 40 years. A lifetime gone by But still reverberating within all film goers!!,” Bachchan tweeted a few days ago.
The 72-year-old actor, who played the brooding, no-nonsense Jai in the movie, held a press conference on Friday to mark the anniversary.
Actress-politician Malini, who played the memorable role of Basanti, says there are people who still call her by the character’s name.
“40 years of Sholay and still going strong. So proud I was part of such an iconic movie! People still call me Basanti and transport me to that era again,” she posted on Twitter.
Basanti is a fearless village belle who becomes the love interest of veteran actor Dharmendra’s character Veeru in the film.
“Arre o dhanno” is one of her best remembered dialogues, while the song Jab tak hai jaan remains etched in the minds of many due to her dancing skills.
Bachchan, meanwhile, says he calls his son Abhishek ‘Veeru’. “He is my friend,” Bachchan said, adding he still shares a good rapport with the on-screen ‘Veeru’, Dharmendra.
“Whenever we meet we share a good, warm relationship,” he said.
Sholay also starred Bachchan’s wife Jaya; she played a widow.
“It is good that there were no dialogues between us,” he said. “We became husband and wife after Zanjeer.” Shweta [his daughter] was also part of Sholay.
“There is a scene where I go to return keys to Jaya. While we were doing Sholay, Jayaji was pregnant,” he said.
As for the remake of the film, Ram Gopal Varma’s box-office bomb Aag with Bachchan, Mohanlal, Ajay Devgn, Prashant Raj Sachdev and Sushmita Sen, Bachchan told reporters to “ask him [Varma].”
“Whenever a film is made and I am part of it, whatever mistakes would have happened or whatever good things would have happened, I take responsibility for that.
“I feel an actor and a director should be held responsible for the failure of a film. I won’t say I made a mistake. I worked on the film with all honesty. Maybe it was not a right decision. We accept that,” he said.
Bachchan, however seemed to be uncertain on the concept of remakes.
“I can’t put my finger on it. I feel if I am part of a remake film I take it as a compliment. Whether a film should be remade or not is the decision of producers and artists involved. Some films have been made and they have been successful but it is a debate. In a way it is like complimenting the original and in a way saying ‘don’t touch the original because that is the best’.”
Actor Viju Khote, who played Gabbar’s subordinate Kaalia, said, “I am grateful to the makers of Sholay for giving me this role. Everyone knows me as Kaalia. People use to tell me, ‘Tera kya hoga Kaalia?’. I am enjoying the recognition. It was just two scene but the role made a huge impact.”
