Sholay is one of only 24 films written by the legendary screenwriter duo Salim-Javed.
Sholay 50th Anniversary: On 15 August, 50 years ago, the legendary film Sholay was made available for public viewing and has become a landmark film in Indian cinema ever since. From inspiring filmmakers of the time to generating timeless memes, Sholay has achieved a special status in cinema by transcending generations. And today, on the day of its golden jubilee, actors Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol and Abhishek Bachchan shared their memories of watching their parents in the film. Along with this, Salman Khan and other figures in Indian cinema have also shared their memories of the film.
Directed by Ramesh Sippy and written by Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, Sholay is a widely celebrated story of revenge, redemption and friendship. Starring Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri and Amjad Khan in iconic roles.
Talking to PTI, Sunny Deol shared that he was going abroad for studies during the time of Sholay’s release. He remembers watching the film’s trial and shares his adoration for his father, calling him the best actor for the films he has done.
“When I saw ‘Sholay’, I was going abroad for studies. I’d seen the trial of the film. My father is so good; he is the best actor, according to me because of the kind of work he has done.”
The border actor also shared insights into the time when Sholay did not perform well commercially before things picked up for the film.
“When it was released, the business was dull, but later it picked up, and we still talk about ‘Sholay’. Every character in that film is very prominent. It is the most-watched film in India,” Deol told PTI.
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The younger of Deol's brothers, Bobby, feels lucky to have been on the set of Sholay in Bengaluru during his childhood. He also shared that he used to be a fan of Jaya Bachchan and carried her photo around with him.
“I was so lucky to be on the sets of ‘Sholay’. I still remember those days, when they were shooting in Bengaluru, we used to drive down to this village where it was shot. I was a big fan of Jaya ji and I used to keep her photo. The whole cast was there, but I was excited to see her,” the Animal actor told PTI.
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Remembering his father’s angry young man era, Abhishek Bachchan thinks of Sholay as a “seminal moment” moment, with both his parents, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, starring in the film. Giving insights into his father’s mindset, Bachchan shared that Sholay is rarely a topic of discussion at home. He said that his father does not think his time is over and therefore doesn’t reminisce over past success.
“With my father, I know that he's convinced he's not done yet, so he doesn't want to sit back on his rocking chair and talk about our times. His time is right now. And that's the attitude every actor should have,” Abhishek Bachchan told PTI.
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On the 50th anniversary of Sholay, Salman Khan shared that he has watched the film four to five times and remembers listening to its dialogue on repeat. He also shared that the songs from the film or the dialogues were commonly heard in his home.
“We’ve seen ‘Sholay’ four to five times. There was a record of the dialogues of ‘Sholay’, that was in two parts. I remember we would keep listening to that often. Wherever we went, we would often hear songs or dialogues of ‘Sholay’ being played around many people in their homes,” the Sultan actor told PTI.
Along with these other famous personalities in Indian cinema, from the likes of Sooraj Barjatya, Karan Johar, Prakash Jha, Farhan Akhtar, and many others, shared their memories of Sholay. The film has undoubtedly inspired a lot of popular figures in Indian cinema and has left a mark on millions.
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