Sholay is a movie that has spanned generations. Be it Millennials, Gen Z, or the Boomers (its original fans), it has been loved by each generation over time. Numerous people have owned up to watching it half a dozen times at least on repeat. So, it is intriguing that one of the two writers of the film - the venerable Javed Akhtar - owns up to having not watched the movie in years, perhaps decades. And he has good reasons for doing so.
50 Years of Sholay’s Cinematic Legacy
On August 15, Sholay completes 50 years of release. The film is the biggest box office hit in the history of Indian cinema, according to footfalls and inflation-adjusted gross. Javed Akhtar wrote the film's script along with Salim Khan during their Salim-Javed days. In a chat with Hindustan Times, the screenwriter-turned-lyricist said he cannot take credit for the film's success. "You should be happy with the work you have done if it is appreciated. But that umbilical cord needs to be cut. You cannot take the full credit for it. And you shouldn't, too. Now, you should think of what you need to do now, because you are always as relevant as your latest work. You can stay in your dreams, but it won't help. Those who are lost in their history have no hope from their future," he said.
When asked how many times he has seen Sholay over the years, Javed Akhtar responded, "When it was released, I watched it 5-6 times because the initial reports were bad. The film was supposed to be a flop initially, so I watched to see how it had turned out. Once it was re-released in 70mm, I watched it again. Since then, I haven't watched it. I don't like to watch my old films."
Sholay had a heavyweight star cast headed by Sanjeev Kumar and also including Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Amjad Khan, Jaya Bachchan, and Hema Malini. It then emerged as the biggest-grossing Indian film of all time, surpassing the record of Mughal-e-Azam when it released in 1975. It remained the record holder for more than a decade until Disco Dancer replaced it. However, Sholay remains the record holder for ticket sales by an Indian movie.
It has, over the years, become a pop culture phenomenon in India, with its characters being household names and its dialogue becoming memes and quote-unquote quotes. The Ramesh Sippy directed movie has been re-released many times, with the most recent re-release in 2005, in order to commemorate the film's 30th anniversary.
A 4k restored print of Sholay will be played at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival in September this year. The movie has been restored in 4K by Film Heritage Foundation in collaboration with Sippy Films Pvt. Ltd.
