Iran honours Sholay with a full-page newspaper tribute; the backstory is as legendary as the film itself
This year, it has been 50 years since the movie was released. To the mark the occasion, Iran's prominent national newspaper featured a full-page tribute to the film, which is quite a rare honour for a foreign cinematic work. Twitter handle 'Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran' in Mumbai shared the news of X (formerly Twitter).
🇮🇳🇮🇷 On #Sholay's 50th anniversary, #IranNewspaper dedicated a full-page tribute to the iconic film.With its unforgettable story of friendship, Sholay became a cornerstone of cinematic memory in #Iran; so much so that many Iranians still associate #Bollywood with this epic. pic.twitter.com/xNoNPd4JUw
Why is Sholay popular in Iran?
For the unversed, before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Indian cinema was widely distributed in Iran, and Sholay became a blockbuster during that period, especially among the older generation. Actors like Amitabh Bachchan were household names.
Twitter handle of Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mumbai also revealed that Iranian actor Navid Mohamadzadeh once drew inspiration from the iconic villanious character of Gabbar Singh, originally played Amjad Khan. Not only did he mimic his looks but also copied his mannerism in an Iranian film.
Iranian actor @navidmamza once drew inspiration from #GabbarSingh, mimicking his iconic looks and menacing mannerisms for a villainous role. pic.twitter.com/WaO2skFxWT
Not just that, Gabbar Singh is also popular in Iran. He is fondly called Jabbar Singh. The character played by Amjad Khan remains to be an iconic cinematic villain there as well.
In Iran, he is known as "Jabbar Singh"; a formidable villain whose presence leaves a lasting impression.
A few years ago, an Iranian woman had gone viral for dancing to Bollywood song Jab Tak Hai Jaan, once again showing how the Hindi music continues to rule cross borders. At the Bengaluru International Film Festival, Iranian filmmaker Shahed Ahmadlou had proudly declared, "I have watched Sholay over 500 times." His statement reflects how deeply the film resonates with Iranian cinephiles.
In an age where most Bollywood films fade from memory within months, it is heartwarming to see a 50-year-old cult classic like Sholay being celebrated in Iran. Despite decades of censorship, and geopolitical shifts, Sholay still gets love from Iran.
Meanwhile, Italy is hosting the world premiere of the newly restored Ramesh Sippy film at the iconic film at II Cinema Ritrovato festival. It is also set to be re-released in India this August.
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