'Sholay' special screening takes fans on a nostalgic journey

From singing 'Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Todenge' to cheering at every iconic dialogue and each actor's entry, fans relived the magic of Sholay during a special screening that served as a reminder of why this Hindi cult classic has stood the test of time for nearly 50 years.

Organised by the not-for-profit Film Heritage Foundation (FHF), the special, one-time-only screening of the vintage 70 mm cinemascope print of the 1975 iconic blockbuster witnessed many ardent fans queuing up to watch the 6.00 pm show at Colaba’s Regal Cinema in Mumbai.

Sholay, written by Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar and directed by Ramesh Sippy, remains one of the most celebrated films in Bollywood history.

The film is considered an inalienable part of Indian pop culture due to its popular characters like Jai, Veeru and Thakur as well as Gabbar Singh, one of the iconic villains of Hindi cinema, and plenty of dialogues and action sequences.

The atmosphere inside the 1,000-plus seater theatre was electric, with fans expressing their enthusiasm at experiencing the classic film in its original format.

“I’m feeling as if I have time travelled. The vintage print truly gives an old-school experience. The viewers are enthusiastic and cheering excitedly. Truly an unforgettable experience,” a fan told PTI.

Sholay featured an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, A.K. Hangal, Asrani, Iftekhar, Jagdeep, Keshto Mukherjee, Leela Mishra, Mac Mohan and Viju Khote, among others.

Prior to the screening, legendary writer duo Salim-Javed addressed the eager fans, who welcomed them with applause and whistles. “This usually doesn't happen with writers,” Akhtar said.

The 79-year-old lyricist and screenwriter expressed his gratitude towards the audience and recalled how the unexpected multi-starrer aspect of the movie added to its beauty.

"When Salim sahab and I wrote this script, we had no idea that it was going to be a big film. When we started the film, we didn't know it would have a big cast. As the screenplay developed, it slowly turned upon us that we can have many stars in the picture because the roles are such. It was not planned to be a multi-starrer film; perhaps that's the beauty of it. It had an organic growth," Akhtar added.

He credited the audience for their continued appreciation and love for the film and its characters. "I can’t think of any film, except for The Godfather or Gone with the Wind, where people remember many characters. But the list of characters (in Sholay) that are remembered after 50 years is much longer," Akhtar said.

"There's some magic and that magic is not created just by us. It is somewhere between us and the audience. Thank you for appreciating this film, and we are thankful to the audience of India and overseas where the picture has been appreciated," he added.

It was a full house at Regal Cinema, where audiences spanning all age groups eagerly awaited the presentation of this timeless classic. A heartwarming sight at the screening was an elderly couple walking hand-in-hand as they made their way to revel in the cinematic masterpiece. “We are super excited to watch our most favourite movie, Sholay,” they told PTI.

Another attendee Moon, who came with her 10-year-old son, told PTI: "I came here to watch Sholay because it's Sholay. I've already seen the film at least 10 times. This is the first time I've got my son to watch it because I wanted him to connect with the movie, the way we did. It's an evergreen movie.”

Veteran projectionist Mohammed Aslam Fakih shared his excitement at showcasing Sholay at Regal Cinema for the first time. “During those days, we didn’t have a 70 mm screen. We would usually show English language films at Regal, I had seen Sholay in Kurla. I was excited about showing the film here. I’m very happy to see the public enjoying every moment of the movie,” Fakih told PTI.

Akhtar thanked FHF founder Shivendra Singh Dungarpur for restoring old films. Post-screening, Akhtar said, “This film has survived for so many years, and perhaps it will continue to do so. Even today, it doesn't look like an outdated film. So, hats off to the director.”

The special screening came close on the heels of the release of Prime Video’s docuseries Angry Young Men, which chronicled the unparalleled influence of Salim-Javed on Hindi cinema and their role in crafting some of the most iconic characters of the 1970s and 1980s.

Javed's daughter and filmmaker Zoya Akhtar, who was also present at the screening, thanked Dungarpur for restoring the old print of Sholay. "I'm so happy we are celebrating the writers," she said.

The screening was organised by the FHF, along with Salman Khan's production house Salman Khan Films, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Media and Entertainment and Zoya and Reema Kagti's Tiger Baby, who have also produced the docuseries.

Filmmakers Vikramaditya Motwane, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, and actors Aditya Roy Kapur and Kunal Roy Kapur also attended the special screening.