It's going to be 50 years of Sholay on August 15, 2025.
It's a golden jubilee that is a tad bit more special than most cult classics - Sholay has had a journey of its own, where every aspect of the film added to the phenomenon that it became over the years.
A multi-starrer where every character - small or big, lead or supporting, had equal parts to play to propel the story forward and 50 years later, it is the uniquely written roles that still make us cackle when we revisit it. Especially on milestone occasions such as these.
Crafted by Salim-Javed, the plot revolves around two notorious criminals Jai and Veeru (Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra), who are hired by a former jailer Thakur Baldev Singh (Sanjeev Kumar) as he seeks vengeance to bring down the vile bandit Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan).
Sholay Poster
The cast featured Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, Sanjeev Kumar and Amjad Khan.
NDTV caught up with the vivacious Basanti AKA Hema Malini, as the actress reiterates that she is mostly addressed by that name, everywhere she goes. She takes us back to 1975, in the rugged terrains of Ramgarh, a fictional village in the film, and the vast expanse of Bengaluru that became home to Sholay.
Sholay Was Not Just Another Film, Basanti Was Not Just Another Character
Basanti, played by Hema Malini, was no ideal woman. She's rambunctious; her confidence pierces through you. Perhaps at a time when female characters in films were mostly represented as shy and docile, Basanti, as a headstrong village belle, stood out. In a film that was all about the macho men (Jai and Veeru), a quintessential Hindi cinema villain such as Gabbar (Amjad Khan) and a righteous police officer (Sanjeev Kumar), Basanti held her own as a strong onscreen character who questions everything and aces a horse cart chase when a gang of goons chase her.
At the core of it all, it is the writing of each character and the story that was the wing beneath the actors, bringing it to life.
A scene from Sholay
Still taking a moment to comprehend that Sholay clocks 50 years next week, Hema Malini says, "Sholay was not just a film. The story was beautiful. It blends action, drama and comedy. There was friendship, there is this retired police officer who wants to take revenge, and there's a bunch of dacoits. And then Basanti comes in and shows how she owns the screen. Everyone was important."
Sholay Was Not A Hit Upon Release: "Ramesh Sippy Was Worried, The Audience Was Shocked"
Sholay had opened up to lacklustre reviews upon its release back on August 15, 1975. As much as the film is hailed to be a landmark in the glorious world of Hindi Cinema, it was anything but as grand as it is 50 years later. If anything, the audience was "shocked", says Hema Malini.
The actress shares, "It was not a hit; people started saying how it was so long and had two intervals. After watching the film, the audience was just quiet and not reacting a lot. The producer got very worried. Because the thing was that people had never seen such a film, so they were spellbound. They were just shocked. The director Ramesh Sippy said we have to cut off a few scenes. And then it became big."
A scene in Sholay
She continues, "People started to come back to see the movie within 15-20 days. Suddenly, people remember all the dialogues and they are talking to each other, telling their friends, and reacting to them."
And where was the filmmaker amid all this buzz?
Hema Malini recalls how worried Ramesh Sippy was.
The actress shares an anecdote, "I remember I was shooting in Raj Kamal studio for some other movie. And he came to me, he had very high hopes for Sholay. Also, we were doing so many films at that time; it was not just one film. For Ramesh Sippy, it was just that one film. He had made Andaz (!971) and Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Sholay was the third film. But he concentrated so much on that. So he was very worried."
What Happened With Sholay's Climax Change?
Back in 2018, Ramesh Sippy had addressed the climax change in the 1975 released Sholay at the Pune International Film Festival.
The had said that the original ending was where Gabbar (Amjad Khan) is killed by Thakur (Sanjeev Kumar) as the latter crushes the villain under his feet. However, the Censor Board was not too happy with it and demanded that it be altered as they also wanted to dial down the violence. Ramesh Sippy wasn't happy, but he had to succumb to it.
A scene in Sholay
Hema Malini reacts, "Yes there was a lot of discussion. What you see in the film is that Thakur doesn't kill Gabbar, but he's been taken over by the police. They changed the original ending after the film was released without the director's approval. That I did not agree with. I completely understand that such changes can happen, but I also believe that the director's vision is important."
A scene in Sholay
It is an interesting take in the light of the latest controversy of the AI-altered climax of the Tamil version of Raanjhanaaa titled Ambikapathy. Along with the director of the film, Aanand L Rai, and the lead actor Dhanush, several industry experts have expressed disregard and disbelief at the audacity of flipping the climax for a happier ending, without the consent of the filmmaker.
"Mandir Scene With Dharmendra Was My First Shot In The Film"
One of the most iconic scenes in Sholay is when Hema Malini converses with Lord Shiva in the Mandir, and Dharmendra's Veeru pretends to answer her back. At first, Hema Malini's character Basanti is almost hoodwinked, until Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) reveals the prank that his best friend Veeru is playing on Basanti.
A scene in Sholay
Hema Malini says, "The Mandir scene was the first scene I shot. It was a lot of fun. So innocently, Basanti was accepting everything and answering back to Lord Shiva. Everything was very different. Shooting happened outdoors in hot summers; I don't think we shot anything indoors. Even Ramanagara in Karnataka, where the climax scene happens, is as it was. They have not built anything there."
"I Told Ramesh Ji, You Gave Me a Double Role In Seeta Aur Geeta, And Now Such A Small Role In Sholay?"
Most often, the impact of an iconic role such as Basanti is understood after it stands the test of time. Till today, Hema Malini is called by the name Basanti, such was her aura and effect.
Hema Malini recalls the narration for Sholay, "I accepted the film. I told Ramesh Ji, you have given me Seeta Aur Geeta and then Andaz, such beautiful films. And now Basanti, such a small role. But he assured me that it might be small, but it will have a big impact. It depends on how you perform. So I took it and did it. That was a golden time."
The actress further dissects her character, "Basanti was a spirited and fearless young woman known for her quick wit, agility and relentless determination. My character was a big relief in the movie."
On Her Dance Number Haa Jab Tak Hai Jaan: "It Was Burning Hot, Ramesh Ji Said He Wants Me To Feel The Pain"
While Veeru tells, "Basanti inn kutto ke saamne mat naachna", she dances on shattered glass shards to save the love of her life.
It is one of the most memorable scenes from the film. What's true is the pain endured by Hema Malini, both on and off the screen.
Hema Malini shares, "I tried my level best to persuade Ramesh ji to shoot this sequence during winter. There's no winter in Bangalore as such; it's pleasant mostly. But closer to November-December, when it's just comfortable. But no, we shot in May when the sun was right up there. And he told me, 'I want you to feel the pain'."
A scene in Sholay
She continues, "That song took 15 days to complete because sometimes clouds would come. We needed the sun; there was a particular timing. It was very tough, but again, it was an experience. Things were very different those days. No washrooms, no vanity vans, travelling so much. We got roasted."
But that's what they say, the best craft takes shape when it's moulded with so much effort. And Sholay continues to garner the love for more of grit and less of glamour. Hema Malini finds it as hard to believe, as it is to express that it completes 50 years soon.
While Basanti would at this point say, "Yun toh main kuch kehti nahi", Hema Malini shares a lot as we take a trip down memory lane, and it feels like the movie just released yesterday.