Sholay celebrates 50 yrs with merchandise, vinyls and a fiery climax

Hindustan Times

a day ago

MUMBAI: Sholay, the 1975 blockbuster, has sustained its cult status in the history of cinema as it exists in actual and inherited memory of generations of movie-goers – its characters and their many witticisms inspiring purveyors of pop culture. And now, in its 50th year, plans are on to take the Sholay brand forward. A still From Movie Sholay Cast Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra - HT Photo.
In the course of the year, Sholay-inspired merchandise will hit the market, as will a new vinyl record with the film's songs (including one that was not in the film originally released) and dialogues, a freshly-restored film with its original climax, which no one has seen yet in India; and a film, titled 'The Making of Sholay', which will be released on an OTT platform.
Sippy Films Pvt Ltd, the producers of the film, has collaborated with a Noida-based toys and games company Snooplay to create consumer products and collectibles based on Sholay's characters. 'It is another way to keep the film's legacy alive,' said Shehzad Sippy, majority stakeholder of Sippy Films. Aanchal Mahajan, co-founder of Snooplay, said the merchandise will help the company tap into 'the fast-growing kidult collectibles market, where adults are embracing play, nostalgia, and pop culture memorabilia like never before'.
Mahajan said, for the Sholay line, the company is creating 'a range of high-quality figurines featuring popular characters and recreating iconic scenes from the film'. Alongside, there will be a limited edition collectors' boxes, which will include a curated mix of collectibles, memorabilia and themed utility products, she said. 'Our aim is to make these products as display-worthy as they are conversation-worthy, celebrating the film's legacy in a way that resonates with today's generation of collectors.'
In the latter part of the year, Sholay buffs will watch a newly restored film, extended by six minutes to its length, with its original ending – where Thakur Baldev Singh, the retired cop and de facto lord of the fictitious village of Ramgarh, crushes Gabbar Singh with his spiked boots -- reinstated. At the time of the film's release, the country was in a state of emergency for 21 months between 1975 and 77, declared by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The film was blocked by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) as the climax was deemed violent and a retired cop taking law into his own hands was unacceptable. It was re-shot, showing Thakur subduing Gabbar, stopping short of extracting his revenge, with cops showing up at the location.
The newly minted film was shown on an open air screen a couple of months ago as a part of the Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival, in Bologna, Italy. 'Sholay will now travel to the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September, followed by screenings in New York and London,' said Sippy. 'It will be released in India subsequently.'
In 2022 Shehzad Sippy had initiated discussions with the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) regarding the film's restoration. Archivist and restorer, and director FHF, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, said: 'He indicated that the film's elements were housed in a Mumbai warehouse. Upon examining the contents of the film cans, which lacked labels, it came to light that they contained the original 35mm camera and sound negatives of the film.' Sippy informed Dungarpur about additional film elements stored at Iron Mountain (warehouse) in the UK, 'in sacks'. Assisted by the British Film Institute, FHF was granted access to these materials, following which the reels from both London and Mumbai were transported to L'Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna 'to commence the intricate restoration process'.
It was a complex endeavour, said Dungarpur, spanning nearly three years.
The making of Sholay itself was not without significant highs and lows, said Ramesh Sippy, the film's director, and founder and director of Ramesh Sippy Entertainment. The company is in the midst of making a film titled 'The Making of Sholay'. 'It is to commemorate not just a cinematic masterpiece, but also spotlight all the struggles that went into its making,' said Sippy. Slated to release 'between October and November, we have completed many interviews of most actors who starred in the film, and the script is almost done', he added.
Will there be any celebration in the industry to mark the film's landmark year over the weekend? 'There will be many in months to come,' said Sippy.
For now, the filmmaker is looking forward to participating in an event on Friday, where the Maharashtra Postal Circle will release a presentation pack and two picture postcards to mark the film's landmark year.
Later in the year, Universal Music India will release the original LP of the movie's music and dialogues, said Shehzad Sippy. A spokesperson for the company said, 'The vinyl record is intended for all Sholay fans; the film's popularity is widespread and not just for people of a particular age group. It will also include a song that was recorded but remained unused in the film.' He chose not to divulge details of the composition, holding it back 'as a surprise for fans'. The song is not available on audio streaming platforms either, he added.