By Renu Mehta
Toronto
Released in 1975, Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay featured a stellar cast including Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, Sanjeev Kumar and Amjad Khan as the dreaded Gabbar. The film ran continuously in Indian theatres for five years — a testament to its immense popularity. Audiences embraced it wholeheartedly, memorizing and repeating familiar dialogues, singing along to its unforgettable songs, and returning to watch it again and again. Never did director Ramesh Sippy imagine that the iconic film he brought to Indian audiences so many years earler would still be celebrated and cheered five decades later, this time, in Toronto.
The auditorium at Roy Thomson Hall echoed with anticipation, affection, and applause on September 6, as beloved characters lit up the big screen once again. Laughter and cheers erupted as the audience relived familiar scenes — “Kitne Aadmi The?” and “Tumhara Naam Kya Hai, Basanti?” — joyfully repeating the legendary lines penned by the celebrated writing duo Salim-Javed.
“The film is a synthesis of everything we love — the romance, the action,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF, as he introduced the film.
Director Ramesh Sippy, accompanied by his wife, was present for the special screening.
“Hello Toronto… 50 years of TIFF and 50 years of Sholay. I can’t believe it, but here we are,” he said, visibly moved. “I’m so happy to be here. I had a wonderful team — a wonderful cast, brilliant writers, and gifted music directors. Please accept my humble gratitude. I’m overwhelmed to be here, and I hope you enjoy the film all over again.”
Actor Bobby Deol also attended the event, representing his father Dharmendra, the beloved lead actor of Sholay and a towering figure in Indian cinema during his prime in Mumbai’s film industry.
“It doesn’t feel like 50 years have passed since Sholay was first released in 1975. It’s as if we watched it just yesterday,” said Deol, greeted by cheers, applause, and whistles. “It’s so heartwarming to see you all gathered here, watching the film as if for the first time. Papa would have loved to be here, but he sends his love to each and every one of you. Enjoy the show!”
The film was meticulously restored in 4K in 2025 by the Film Heritage Foundation, in collaboration with Sippy Films.
“It was a real challenge,” shared Shivendra Singh Dungarpur from the Foundation. “The tragedy of Indian cinema is that we’ve lost so much of our heritage. But miraculously, we found the original sound reels in the Sippy office. Every detail was intact, even the smallest sound effects like the toss of the coin. The power of the original soundtrack still resonates today.”
The audio was restored from the original sound negative and magnetic soundtrack, preserved by the Film Heritage Foundation.
“All the versions you’ve seen on Amazon or elsewhere don’t feature RD Burman’s original soundtrack. This is the only version that does.”
The new restoration features two previously deleted scenes from the original 1975 version, along with the film’s original ending — in which Gabbar Singh is killed by Thakur, portrayed by actor Sanjeev Kumar, using his spiked shoes. This ending was altered in the 1975 release following objections from the Film Censor Board.
“I’ve seen how audiences reacted and loved the film, but to witness the exact same reactions, at the exact same moments, 50 years later… it’s beyond imagination. And for that, I have audiences like you to thank,” said Sippy.
