The legendary Bollywood epic “Sholay” will receive a fitting golden anniversary tribute when its fully restored, uncut version gets its world premiere at Italy’s Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival on June 27.
The 1975 Ramesh Sippy-directed classic will unspool on the festival’s massive open-air screen in Bologna’s Piazza Maggiore, marking the first time audiences will see the original ending and previously deleted scenes that were cut from the widely distributed theatrical version.
Written by the legendary duo Salim-Javed, “Sholay” masterfully blends action, thriller, revenge drama, comedy and tragedy, all underscored by R.D. Burman’s iconic musical score. The film drew inspiration from Western classics including Sergio Leone’s “Once Upon a Time in the West,” Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai,” and John Sturges’ “The Magnificent Seven.”
The story follows former police officer Thakur Baldev Singh, who enlists two small-time rogues — the charismatic Veeru and introspective Jai — to capture the notorious dacoit Gabbar Singh, who terrorizes the village of Ramgarh. The film features an ensemble cast including Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, and Amjad Khan’s unforgettable turn as villain Gabbar Singh.
The painstaking restoration, a three-year collaboration between Film Heritage Foundation and Sippy Films Pvt. Ltd., brings the multi-starrer back to its intended form. The film, which ran for an unprecedented five consecutive years at Mumbai’s Minerva cinema, has been hailed as the greatest Indian film ever made in a 2002 British Film Institute poll and named “Film of the Millennium” by BBC India in 1999.
“Some things in life remain permanently etched in your mind. ‘Sholay’ is one such film,” said Bachchan. “Shooting for the film was an unforgettable experience, but 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.”
Despite a modest initial reception, the 204-minute epic dominated the Indian box office for 19 years after its release. Its dialogues have achieved legendary status and remain instantly recognizable half a century later.
Dharmendra said: “‘Sholay’ is the 8th wonder of the world. 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. Few people know that I was offered the role of Gabbar and Thakur, but I was clear that I wanted to play the role of Veeru as he is so much like me. I had so much fun on the shoot. My favourite scenes were the tanki [water tank] 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.”
The restoration faced significant challenges, as the original camera negative was severely deteriorated. Instead, the team worked primarily from interpositives found in London and Mumbai. A crucial breakthrough came when a color reversal intermediate discovered in London contained the original ending and two deleted scenes.
“It has taken us three years, but we were able to find the original ending and some deleted scenes that the world will see for the first time at the grand premiere,” said producer Shehzad Sippy of Sippy Films. “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 G.P. Sippy.”
The technical restoration proved complex, with materials sourced from both Mumbai warehouses and London’s Iron Mountain facility. The team even consulted veteran cinematographer Kamlakar Rao, who had worked on the original film, to determine the proper 2.2:1 aspect ratio for the 70mm-intended picture.
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, director of Film Heritage Foundation, reflected on the project’s personal significance: “My first memory of ‘Sholay’ dates back to the time when I was six years old and I remember lamenting because my mother refused to allow me to go to the cinema to watch the film. I would never have imagined that 50 years later, I would have the opportunity to work on the restoration of the film.”
The restoration represents a technical achievement in Indian cinema preservation. “Sholay” was India’s first 70mm film and the first Hindi picture to feature stereophonic sound. The restored version incorporates elements from two interpositives and two color reversal intermediates, with the final 5.1 sound mix utilizing original magnetic sound elements found at the Sippy Films office.
The Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival, renowned for showcasing restored classics, provides an ideal venue for this landmark premiere. The Piazza Maggiore screening is expected to draw thousands of cinephiles from around the world.
Film Heritage Foundation, a Mumbai-based non-profit established in 2014, has built an international reputation for excellence in restoration work. The organization has previously restored forgotten gems including works by Aravindan Govindan, Aribam Syam Sharma, Shyam Benegal, and Satyajit Ray, with several restorations receiving red-carpet world premieres at the Cannes Film Festival.
Il Cinema Ritrovato is being held in Bologna, Italy, from June 21-29.
