Sholay is a famous 1975 Indian film directed by Ramesh Sippy and starring his father G.P. Produced by Sippy, the Hindi language film is a blend of action and adventure. Written by the acclaimed duo Salim-Javed, the plot follows two criminals, Veeru (Dharmendra) and Jay (Amitabh Bachchan), who are hired by a retired police officer (Sanjeev Kumar) to nab the dangerous dacoit Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan). The film also stars Hema Malini and Jaya Bhaduri as Veeru and the love characters Jay, Basanti, and Radha. Music composed by RD Burman adds to the appeal of the film.
Shot over two-and-a-half years in the rugged region of Ramnagar, Karnataka, Sholay originally ran for 198 minutes when the film board needed to cut some violent scenes. In 1990, the complete 204-minute version was released on Home Media. Initially, Sholay did not do well with critics and box office, but it gained popularity through word-of-mouth and became a smash hit. It held the record for the longest-running film in several theaters across India, including more than five years at the Minerva Theater in Mumbai. It was also a hit in the Soviet Union and was the highest-grossing Indian film till 1994.
Today, Sholay is considered a classic and one of the most influential Indian films of all time. It was voted the Best Indian Film in the 2002 British Film Institute survey and the Best Film of the 50th Year at the 2005 Filmfare Awards. Sholay mixes elements of Indian dacoit films, spaghetti westerns, and samurai movies and is known as a “masala” film for its blend of genres. The film’s themes include a celebration of violence, loyalty to old values, and strong friendships between men. Sholay’s music and catchy dialogues became hugely popular, significantly influencing Indian culture. In 2014, Sholay was re-released in 3D, bringing the classic film to a new audience.
Quick Overview About Sholay
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Ramesh Sippy |
| Written by | Salim–Javed |
| Produced by | G. P. Sippy |
| Starring | Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri, Amjad Khan |
| Cinematography | Dwarka Divecha |
| Edited by | M. S. Shinde |
| Music by | R. D. Burman |
| Production companies | United Producers, Sippy Films |
| Distributed by | Sippy Films |
| Release date | 15 August 1975 |
| Running time | 204 minutes (Original version), 198 minutes (Theatrical version) |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Budget | ₹30 million |
| Box office | est. ₹350 million (India), 250 million tickets (worldwide) |
Sholay Movie Cast & Crew
| Actor | Character Description |
|---|---|
| Dharmendra | Veeru |
| Sanjeev Kumar | Thakur Baldev Singh |
| Hema Malini | Basanti |
| Amitabh Bachchan | Jai (Jaidev) |
| Jaya Bhaduri | Radha, Thakur’s daughter-in-law |
| Iftekhar | Inspector Khurana, Radha’s Father |
| Amjad Khan | Gabbar Singh |
| Satyen Kappu | Ramlaal, Thakur’s servant |
| A. K. Hangal | Rahim Chacha, the imam in the village |
| Sachin Pilgaonkar | Ahmed, son of the imam |
| Jagdeep | Soorma Bhopali, a comical wood trader |
| Leela Mishra | Mausi, Basanti’s maternal aunt |
| Asrani | the Jailor, a comical character modelled after Charlie Chaplin in “The Great Dictator” |
| Keshto Mukherjee | Hariram, prison barber and Jailor’s side-kick |
| Mac Mohan | Sambha, Gabbar Singh’s sidekick |
| Viju Khote | Kaalia, another of Gabbar’s men whom he kills in a game of Russian roulette |
| Vikas Anand | Jailor |
| Helen | Special appearance in the song “Mehbooba Mehbooba” |
| Jalal Agha | Geeta, Baldev Singh’s daughter in law |
| Raj Kishore | a jail inmate with gayish mannerisms |
| Arvind Joshi | elder son of Thakur Baldev Singh |
| Sharad Kumar | Ninni, younger son of Thakur Baldev Singh |
| Gita Siddharth | the Jailor, a comical character modeled after Charlie Chaplin in “The Great Dictator” |
| Om Shivpuri | a police officer investigating Gabbar’s attack on a village |
SHOLAY, 1975
— Murleee𝕏 (@Covi1979749381) September 23, 2021
Many of you have seen this film but for me its THE landmark film from Bollywood which is reverent even today. Let’s examine the characters and places.
1. LOCATION : Village Ramgarh, a hindu village with just 2 MusIims. Today it is represented as Secular Bharat.
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Sholay Movie Worldwide Box Office Collection
| Day | Date | India Net Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 15 August 1975 | ₹ 0.08 Cr |
| Day 2 | 16 August 1975 | ₹ 0.07 Cr |
| Day 3 | 17 August 1975 | ₹ 0.10 Cr |
| Day 4 | 18 August 1975 | ₹ 0.13 Cr |
| Day 5 | 19 August 1975 | ₹ 0.11 Cr |
| Day 6 | 20 August 1975 | ₹ 0.10 Cr |
| Day 7 | 21 August 1975 | ₹ 0.10 Cr |
| Week 1 Collection | _ | ₹ 0.69 Cr |
| Week 2 Collection | _ | ₹ 0.80 Cr |
| Week 3 Collection | _ | ₹ 0.87 Cr |
| Week 4 Collection | _ | ₹ 0.79 Cr |
| Week 5 Collection | _ | ₹ 0.75 Cr |
| Week 6 Collection | _ | ₹ 0.70 Cr |
| Week 7 Collection | _ | ₹ 0.68 Cr |
| Week 8 Collection | _ | ₹ 0.63 Cr |
| Week 9 Collection | _ | ₹ 0.59 Cr |
| Week 10+ Collection | _ | ₹ 9.00 Cr |
