Fifty years after its historic debut, Sholay – often hailed as one of the most iconic Hindi films ever made – is set to make a triumphant return to the big screen. A fully restored, uncut version of director Ramesh Sippy’s 1975 cinematic masterpiece is set for its world premiere on Friday at the Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Bologna, Italy.
The film originally underwent censorship due to its ‘extremely stylish’ violence. Being released during the emergency period, the film was subjected to unusually harsh censorship. The original climax, where Thakur kills Gabbar Singh with his spiked shoes, was deemed unacceptable. Censors revolted at the idea of presenting a scene where a former righteous police officer takes the law into his own hands. They further labelled the ending ‘excessively violent’, forcing the director to shoot a softer alternate ending for the theatrical release.
The film’s return will feature an uncensored ending along with a few previously deleted scenes. The timeless Bollywood classic has been resurrected by the Mumbai-based Film Heritage Foundation in collaboration with the British Film Institute and Italy’s L’Immagine Ritrovata. The film will be screened at the festival’s renowned open-air venue in Piazza Maggiore, one of Europe’s largest public screens.
Long road to restoration
The extensive three-year restoration of the epic presented significant challenges. The original 70mm prints were lost, and the camera negatives were in a critically bad shape.
However, a remarkable discovery unfolded when Shehzad Sippy, Ramesh Sippy’s son, contacted the Film Heritage Foundation. He disclosed that numerous film elements were stored in a Mumbai warehouse. What initially appeared to be a long shot culminated in a miraculous find. As Sippy and the Film Heritage Foundation were able to recover the original 35mm camera that was used to shoot the film, along with sound negatives. Further reels, located in the UK, were subsequently restored with the help of L’Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, one of the world’s premier film restoration facilities.
The restored Sholay not only revives a cinematic classic in all its glory but also marks a significant chapter in Indian film preservation.
Featuring a legendary all-star cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, Sanjeev Kumar, and Amjad Khan as the infamous Gabbar Singh. Sholay was penned by the screenwriting duo of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. Initially criticised for its Western influence, the film became an unprecedented hit over time, offering an unparalleled cinematic experience that explores the themes of revenge, loyalty, and justice.