Mumbai, Dec 13: One of Indian cinema’s most iconic films, Sholay, is set to return to the big screen after 50 years in a restored 4K version titled “Sholay: The Final Cut.” The film will be released on around 1,500 cinema screens, giving audiences a rare opportunity to watch the original climax that was removed before its 1975 release.
The restoration has been carried out by the Film Heritage Foundation. The original ending, written by Salim–Javed, showed Thakur Baldev Singh (Sanjeev Kumar) killing Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan) in revenge. However, the Central Board of Film Certification objected to the violent climax at the time, leading to a revised ending in which Gabbar is arrested by the police.
Directed by Ramesh Sippy, Sholay starred Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Asrani, and Sachin Pilgaonkar. The film went on to become the highest-grossing movie of its year and remains a landmark in Indian cinema.
Sippy said he never imagined that Sholay would continue to attract audiences even five decades later. Recalling a recent screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, he said the theatre was packed and the audience response matched the excitement seen during the film’s original release.
The re-release has also generated excitement among the film’s legacy family. Abhishek Bachchan shared that he is eager to watch his father’s legendary film on the big screen for the first time, having only seen it on television and home video.
With its return to theatres and the unveiling of its original ending, Sholay: The Final Cut is expected to draw both old fans and a new generation of viewers back to cinemas.
