Sholay Rerelease – The Ramesh Sippy classic in its restored version is making its debut alongside world cinema in Italy
Half a century after it first lit up Indian cinema screens, Sholay is making a spectacular comeback. A fully restored version of the legendary 1975 film will have its world premiere at the Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Bologna, Italy, this Friday. This marks a proud moment for Indian cinema fans across the globe.
According to the BBC, this new version of Sholay includes never-before-seen footage and the film’s original, darker ending, which had been changed due to pressure from government censors at the time of release. The outdoor screening will take place at Piazza Maggiore, one of Europe’s grandest open-air venues, giving the film a fitting platform for its return.
Directed by Ramesh Sippy and written by the iconic duo Salim-Javed, Sholay features some of Hindi cinema’s most beloved stars: Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, Sanjeev Kumar, and Amjad Khan, whose portrayal of Gabbar Singh became legendary.
The plot centres around two petty criminals, Jai and Veeru, who are hired by a retired police officer, Thakur Baldev Singh, to bring down a fearsome bandit who has terrorised the village of Ramgarh. Inspired by Western and samurai films, Sholay manages to blend action, drama, romance, and comedy in a way that remains distinctly Indian.
When it was first released, the film didn’t get the warm welcome one might expect. Initial reviews were poor, and early audiences were silent, confused by the film’s bold style. However, over time, it grew into a cultural phenomenon. Audiences started quoting the film’s dialogues, imitating its characters, and filling theatres week after week. Eventually, it ran non-stop for over five years at Mumbai’s Minerva theatre and went on to be voted “Film of the Millennium” in a BBC India poll.
The road to restoring Sholay was not easy. The original 70mm prints no longer existed, and the negatives had severely deteriorated. But in 2022, Shehzad Sippy, son of the director, teamed up with the Film Heritage Foundation in Mumbai to bring the film back to life. They discovered the original negatives stored in unlabelled cans in a warehouse. Additional reels were later found in the UK, with support from the British Film Institute. All of this material was sent to Italy’s L’Immagine Ritrovata, a world-renowned film restoration lab, where the film was painstakingly restored over three years.
The new version includes the original ending, in which Gabbar Singh is killed by Thakur using spiked shoes, a scene that was cut from the original due to concerns that it showed a police officer taking justice into his own hands. At the time, India was under a state of Emergency, and the government enforced stricter censorship. The film was eventually approved only after the ending was changed and the violence toned down.
Speaking about the film, Dharmendra called Sholay “the eighth wonder of the world,” while Amitabh Bachchan said the shoot was “an unforgettable experience,” even though he had no idea it would become a turning point in Indian cinema.
Over the years, Sholay has become part of India’s cultural fabric. Its dialogues are quoted at weddings, referenced in politics, and spoofed in advertisements. Its soundtrack, composed by R.D. Burman, sold over 500,000 records, and the villain Gabbar Singh remains one of the most memorable characters in film history.
Sholay Rerelease – Why does it mattee??
So why does Sholay still matter today? As Bachchan once said, it’s about the timeless appeal of justice, courage, and friendship, all wrapped up in a film that continues to connect with new generations. And now, thanks to this new restoration, audiences will get to experience Sholay like never before.
