Mumbai: There’s good news for movie buffs as Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra’s iconic blockbuster film ‘Sholay’ is set to return to the big screen with its uncut, original ending to mark the 50th anniversary of its release.
A joint project between Film Heritage Foundation and Sippy Films Pvt. Ltd., the restoration aims to present ‘Sholay’ in its original form.
The uncut version of ‘Sholay’ will include the original ending, in which Thakur kills Gabbar Singh, along with some never-before-seen deleted scenes.
The original ending was removed from the theatrical cut following directions from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
Directed by Ramesh Sippy, the film which was first released in theatres on 15th August, 1975, will have its world premiere at the Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Italy’s Bologna on June 27, 2025.
The special screening will be held at Piazza Maggiore, an open-air venue known for showcasing film classics.
Recalling the emotional journey during its release, Amitabh told Screen, “At the time I had no idea that it would be a watershed for Indian cinema. Its dramatic change in fortunes from being declared an unsuccessful venture, to its record-breaking box office run was an emotional rollercoaster for all of us… I hope that even 50 years later, the film will capture the imagination of new audiences across the world.”
Describing ‘Sholay’ as “the eighth wonder of the world”, Dharmendra added, “I am thrilled to hear that the film is being restored and I am sure it will have the same success as it had 50 years ago. Who can forget the dialogues of Salim-Javed and the direction of Ramesh Sippy? So many scenes have gone down in the history of Indian cinema and every character became a star. But the real hero was the coin… My favourite scenes were the tanki scene, the scene in the temple, and so many others, but the most powerful scene I feel was the death of Jai, which is still etched in my mind.”
Producer Shehzad Sippy shared, “It’s been a labour of love to resurrect the film and this is a tribute to the vision and the legacy of my grandfather GP Sippy. I can’t wait for Sholay to begin its new lease of life.”
Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bachchan and Hema Malini played important roles in the film as well.
