I will never make another Sholay, says Ramesh Sippy on the cult movie turning 50 | Hindi Movie News
Sholay, the 1975 blockbuster that redefined Indian cinema, turned 50 earlier this year. Touted as the greatest Indian film ever made, the film was honoured at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), a recognition that speaks volumes for its timeless appeal and cultural influence. Director Ramesh Sippy says, “Making a film is a lot of hard work. So, when it receives appreciation at the end of the day, it feels good. After all, being appreciated is an important aspect of moviemaking.”Sholay created characters that became a part of popular cultural lore. However, Sippy dismisses the notion that the cult film helped him crack the formulaic moviemaking code in Indian cinema. He says, “No one makes a good film with the thought that it must have some good songs, action that hasn’t been seen before, or a romantic scene that stands out. You begin with what you have, a bunch of writers who give you a strong storyline that you build up with good characters.” ‘Trade pundits felt Sholay would not recover the money spent on it’Sippy says, “I was fortunate to have fine writers like Salim-Javed on board. Together, we were able to develop a powerful script. Casting the right actors was equally crucial. With music by RD Burman and lyrics by Anand Bakshi, we had a fabulous score.” Surprisingly, Sholay did not open to a great start at the box office initially. He recalls, “Sholay was a very expensive film. It would normally cost `50-60 lakhs, but Sholay cost `3 crores, and trade pundits felt the movie would not be able to recover the money that was spent on it. No film had recovered that kind of cost, so they felt, what’s the point of it being a well-made film? We discussed the excessive criticism surrounding the film, but finally decided to leave it as it is. We thought time would tell and it did tell.”
Ramesh Sippy with Hema Malini and Amjad Khan on the sets of Sholay
The iconic characters of SholayThe casting process of Sholay is the stuff of legends, with stories about Dharmendra initially wanting to play Thakur, while Sanjeev Kumar eyeing the role of Gabbar Singh. Sippy shares, “If one character is more colourful, the other one seems to have more depth. Jaya Bachchan, playing the silent Radha, was just as important as the chatterbox Basanti, played by Hema Malini. It was the same in the case of Mr Bachchan as Jai, the silent and calm contrast to Dharamji’s flamboyant and outspoken Veeru. It all worked out beautifully. However, it was not easy to make a film like Sholay. Most films are made in 40-50 days, but for Sholay, it took us 300 days to shoot it. We put our shoulders to the wheel as a team and plodded on.”
Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan in the iconic coin-toss scene from Sholay
‘Films like Sholay become timeless, which is why we’re still talking about them’Sippy is firm in his belief that Sholay should never be remade. He says, “I will never make Sholay again. If the film is still being remembered after 50 years, does it make sense to make it again? Films like Sholay become timeless, which is why 50 years later, we’re still talking about them. If somebody else wants to remake Sholay, they can, but I personally would not want to.” In 2007, Ram Gopal Varma attempted exactly that, with Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, but the film failed to resonate with the audience. Sippy recalls, “Ram Gopal Varma had come to me wanting to remake it, and I very politely suggested to him not to. However, every maker has a right, and I told him it’s entirely his decision.”
