50 Years of 'Sholay': From Mac Mohan's Sambha to Viju Khote's Kalia, supporting characters of the blockbuster that became pop culture mainstay

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Despite their limited screen time, these characters have earned a permanent spot for themselves in the collective memory of cinephiles
Any mention of 'Sholay' instantly evokes the image of the unforgettable pair of Jai-Veeru and the many main characters that populate its runtime of over three hours, including the revenge-seeking Thakur, the menacing Gabbar, Basanti and Radha.
But the enduring charm of Ramesh Sippy's 1975 cult classic also lies in its array of supporting characters, some in the background forever and some who pop up in the frame to utter just one sentence. Despite their limited screen time, these characters have earned a permanent spot for themselves in the collective memory of cinephiles.
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'Sholay', penned by screenwriting legends Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, gives audiences a choice to pick their favourite character from a vast bouquet — from Viju Khote's Kaalia, Macmohan's Sambha to Jagdeep's Soorma Bhopali. From Asrani's Jailer, A K Hangal's Rahim chacha to Leela Mishra's mausi.
These people were meant to propel the plot, infuse humour or evoke pathos. Over the past five decades, they have become as memorable as the film's leading artists. And in the process, these brief appearances have become the defining roles of their careers.
Kaalia, brought to life by actor Viju Khote, is a prime example. Khote had only two scenes in the film. He first appears when Kaalia and two other dacoits visit Ramgarh to collect foodgrain for Gabbar's gang.
In the second scene, Kaalia and his colleagues are standing in front of their master, empty-handed and trembling with fear, prompting Gabbar to mouth the famous dialogue: 'Tera kya hoga Kaalia?'.
Kaalia stutters and says, 'Sardar, maine aapka namak khaya hai,' to which the dacoit leader laughs and responds: 'Ab goli khaa.' Gabbar is not done. He first plays a game of Russian roulette with them and when they are almost relieved to be alive, he kills all three swiftly.
Khote, who died in 2019 at 77, essayed many roles in his lifetime, including his comic turn as Robert in 'Andaaz Apna Apna' and in the sitcom 'Zabaan Sambhalke', but no character of his could come close to Kaalia in terms of popularity.
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'For many years after the film's release, people on the road would recognise me and repeat what Amjad had told me: 'Tera kya hoga Kaalia'… It signifies the tremendous popularity of the movie. And that people liked Kaalia as a character,' the actor told Times of India in 2015.
Sambha, played by Mac Mohan, is another character that despite his one line has lived on. It takes place when Gabbar asks Sambha, perched on a hilltop, about the bounty placed on him by the police, clearly enjoying his notoriety.
To this, Sambha replies, 'Poore pacchas hazaar.' After 'Sholay', Mac Mohan did over 200 films till his demise in 2010, most of them negative. But in public memory, he remained Samba.
In an old interview with Tabassum Talkies, the actor said, ''Sholay' created many records, and I believe this is another — that an artist became so popular after playing such a small role. I've never heard of or seen anything like it before.' The actor also said he shot many scenes for the movie, which included travelling to Bengaluru, but when he saw the final print, he was heartbroken as he was barely there in the film.
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'I had to search for myself in the film and I thought I shot for so many days but they kept this only. I went to Ramesh Sippy and asked him why even kept that scene. He told me that if the movie works, then everyone would start calling you 'Sambha'.' In the film, characters like Asrani as the jailer and Jagdeep as Soorma Bhopali balanced the heightened violence and vengeance with lighter interludes.
All these years later, the comedy still evokes laughter. Asrani's character was clearly modelled after Charlie Chaplin's 'The Great Dictator' and carried a post-colonial hangover as he would declare his greatness by repeating the phrase, 'Hum angrezo ke zamaane ke jailor hai'.
Jagdeep's comic act as Soorma Bhopali emerged out of Javed Akhtar's lived in experiences in Bhopal and the character's exaggerated mannerisms, tall tales and distinct accent has made him a fan favourite. The character was a caricature of the small-town braggart, which audiences found relatable and hilarious.
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Like Mac Mohan, Jagdeep had also shot for the movie extensively but his scenes were also chopped from the final cut. He got to play the main lead by producing and directing a movie based on and titled 'Soorma Bhopali' in the 80s with Dharmendra and Bachchan and many others from the movie did cameos in 'Soorma Bhopali'.
Jagdeep, whose real name was Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jafri, passed away in July 2020 and at the time, Sippy remembered the actor for his contributions to the movie.
'It takes a superb artist to get all the nuances of a local character like that. Comedy is not easy. The timing has to be perfect and the reaction has to be right. It is not possible without talent. As a director, I cannot make an actor do comedy. I can only ask for improvisation,' Sippy told PTI.
Leela Mishra as mausi or maternal aunt of Hema Malini's Basanti also shines in her brief scenes, where she is discussing Veeru's marriage proposal for her niece with Jai who cleverly lists the bad habits of his friend in front of her. A drunk Veeru finally takes matters into his own hands, climbs the water tank and threatens to jump unless mausi agrees to his marriage with Basanti.
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While these characters provided comic relief, veteran actor A K Hangal's portrayal of Rahim chacha brought a touch of quiet tragedy to the story.
Rahim Chacha is a blind elderly villager of Ramgarh. In one of the most poignant moments, Gabbar's men kill his only son Ahmed during a raid on the village.
His words, 'Itna sannata kyun hai bhai?', echo through the stunned silence in the scene.
The dialogue has now become a part of pop culture, sometimes for humour and sometimes to convey a moment of awkward silence or tension.