Ramesh Sippy Reflects On The Iconic Film's Legacy Celebrating 50 Years Of Sholay
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Ramesh Sippy Reflects On The Iconic Film's Legacy | Celebrating 50 Years Of Sholay | Exclusive
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News18
20 minutes ago
- News18
Ramesh Sippy Says It Was 'Crazy' To Capture Amitabh Bachchan And Jaya Bachchan Scenes In Sholay
Sholay at 50: Ramesh Sippy shares why Jaya Bachchan's silent role was never a 'waste' but one of the strongest parts of the classic. Sholay turned 50 this week, and its legacy continues to stir emotions even after five decades. As fans celebrated the golden jubilee on 15 August, director Ramesh Sippy looked back at the choices that shaped the film into a timeless phenomenon. One such decision was casting Jaya Bachchan as Radha – a part that many at the time dismissed as being 'wasted." For Sippy, however, her quiet presence was the very reason she was chosen. 'A lot of people asked me, 'Why are you working with Jaya Bachchan? It's a waste… an actress like her.' I said exactly why I took her. It's a silent role. Even the silence didn't stop her from conveying her feelings. In the end, the satisfaction is that after 50 years we are talking about the film. All the hard work has paid off in every way," Sippy told Zoom. Radha, the widowed daughter-in-law of Thakur Baldev Singh (Sanjeev Kumar) and love interest of Jai (Amitabh Bachchan), barely spoke in the film. Yet her presence gave Sholay its emotional core, showing that silence can sometimes be more powerful than dialogue. Sippy also recalled the painstaking detail that went into capturing the magic between Jaya and Amitabh on screen. 'It was crazy. Getting what I wanted in that magic hour. It's 3-4 minutes. The face can't be behind the pillars, it had to be just right. The counter shots of Mr Bachchan had to be done in a way that the sequence feels right. When you pursue that, it takes time, but it comes out right in the end." Released in 1975, Sholay brought together Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar and Amjad Khan in what is now considered India's greatest masala entertainer. With Salim–Javed's sharp writing, unforgettable characters and lines like 'Kitne aadmi the?", the film went far beyond a blockbuster – it became part of Indian pop culture. Earlier, speaking with SCREEN, Dharmendra reflected on the gruelling schedules, memorable moments with Sholay co-stars. He said he never thought Sholay would go on to become a blockbuster. 'I didn't [expect Sholay to be such a milestone]," Dharmendra said. 'Of course, we worked very hard on the film. The shoots on the outskirts of Bangalore were gruelling. There were no hotels around. We had to drive down to the location 50 kilometres away from Bangalore every day. But it was a lot of fun. Lots of memories. Hema was there with me. Jaya was there; she was expecting her first child." Dharmendra also shared stories about casting choices. 'Yes, I did put in a word for Bachchan Saab [Amitabh Bachchan] to Ramesh Sippy. But he finally got the part on merit." On playing Veeru, he said, 'No, I was very happy playing Veeru. It is the part that chose me, more than I chose it." First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Ramesh Sippy says he was questioned for casting Jaya Bachchan in Sholay: ‘An actress like her…'
As Sholay marked its golden jubilee on August 15, filmmaker Ramesh Sippy reflected on the making of the timeless classic. In a conversation with Zoom, he opened up about being questioned for casting Jaya Bachchan in what many considered a 'wasted role' and explained why her silent yet powerful performance became one of the film's strongest elements. Ramesh Sippy opens up about Jaya Bachchan's casting in Sholay. Ramesh Sippy on casting Jaya Bachchan in Sholay In Sholay, Jaya Bachchan played Radha, the widowed daughter-in-law of Thakur Baldev Singh (Sanjeev Kumar) and love interest of Jai (Amitabh Bachchan). Speaking about the casting, Ramesh said, 'A lot of people asked me, 'Why are you working with Jaya Bachchan? It's a waste… an actress like her.' I said exactly why I took her. It's a silent role. Even the silence didn't stop her from conveying her feelings. In the end, the satisfaction is that after 50 years we are talking about the film. All the hard work has paid off in every way.' He further recalled the effort behind creating the magic in Jaya and Amitabh's scenes, saying, 'It was crazy. Getting what I wanted in that magic hour. It's 3–4 minutes. The face can't be behind the pillars, it had to be just right. The counter shots of Mr Bachchan had to be done in a way that the sequence feels right. When you pursue that, it takes time, but it comes out right in the end.' About Sholay Released in 1975, Sholay is considered one of the greatest and most iconic films in Indian cinema. Directed by Ramesh Sippy and written by the celebrated duo Salim–Javed, the film is a perfect blend of action, drama, romance, and comedy. Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, and Amjad Khan as the unforgettable villain Gabbar Singh, the movie redefined Hindi cinema's storytelling style. The story follows two ex-convicts, Jai and Veeru, hired by a retired policeman to capture the ruthless dacoit Gabbar Singh. Known for its memorable dialogues, powerful characters, and timeless songs, Sholay became a cultural phenomenon. Its dialogues and music remain iconic in Indian pop culture.
Scroll.in
2 hours ago
- Scroll.in
Start the week with a film: Revisiting ‘Shakti', the other Ramesh Sippy classic
Ramesh Sippy's Sholay turned 50 on August 15. A mid-century after the vengeance drama's release, fans continue to marvel at its technical mastery, iconic characters, Sippy's eye for both intimate moments and grand spectacle. Lines from Salim-Javed's screenplay are still being quoted in conversation. But as filmmaker Atul Sabharwal pointed out in his excellent essay for Scroll, Sholay was something of a paradox – a peak that its director didn't always scale in his subsequent films; a blockbuster whose inventiveness was lost to the Hindi film industry. Sippy's follow-up to Sholay was the underwhelming Shaan (1980). In 1982, Sippy changed course, making a film that ignored the scale of Sholay and Shaan by turning inwards. Shakti is a compelling character study of an upright police officer and his wayward son. Starring Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan, the film was written by Salim-Javed and loosely inspired by the Tamil movie Thangappathakkam (1974). As a child, Vijay is kidnapped by the smugglers JK (Amrish Puri) and Narang (Kulbhushan Kharbanda). Vijay's father Ashwini Kumar (Dilip Kumar) refuses to release one of JK's men in exchange for Vijay. The boy learns about this. Although Vijay escapes from his abductors, his father's perceived treachery scars him. The grown-up Vijay's idea of revenge is to work with Narang, which saddens Ashwini. Caught between the righteous Ashwini and the rebellious Vijay (Bachchan) is Vijay's mother Sheetal (Raakhee). Vijay leaves home and moves in with the singer Roma (Smita Patil). Vijay keeps crossing paths with Ashwini, this time as a criminal. Sippy's film is remarkable in its measured handling of the moral dilemmas faces by its principal characters. The crime aspect of the plot – JK's later rivalry with Narang, the mission to capture JK – is a sideshow in the contest for Vijay's soul. Shakti is available on YouTube, ZEE5 and Prime Video. Sippy prevents Shakti from being a re-tread of Deewar (1975) and Trishul (1978), which feature Bachchan as the anti-hero Vijay who takes to crime to avenge personal slights. The Vijay of Shakti is a different animal. This Vijay is insecure, self-centred, a bundle of resentment. Even when Vijay does declaim, it's in a lower register. He argues with his parents, but nobody has the last word. Vijay's rage is tempered by the knowledge that Ashwini and Sheetal are right too. Vijay's diffidence comes out most vividly when he meets Roma. An elaboration of the wise woman of the night played by Parveen Babi in Deewar, Roma isn't shy about her feelings for Vijay. They meet in a train one night. Vijay rescues Roma from a bunch of goons – a sequence that Mani Ratnam lifted for his film Agni Natchathiram (1988). Vijay walks Roma home. His bravado has clearly disappeared. Why don't you come in, I make good coffee, she says. Some other time, Vijay bashfully replies. There's no judgement about Roma, who is as much of an outlier as Vijay. She happens to live by herself and when she invites Vijay to move in, that's that. Their ardour results in the sensuous RD Burman song Jaane Kaise Kab Kahan. Vijay comes alive when battling Ashwini. In the bristling confrontations between the characters, the thespian sails past the younger actor in terms of dialogue delivery and emotional depth. Shakti is a rare detour in Bachchan's Angry Young Man phase. Sippy treats Bachchan as a character, rather than an archetype. Yet, Bachchan appears visibly unsure of how to tackle Vijay's ambivalence. Dilip Kumar, having already played his fair share of troubled men, has no such inhibitions. A couple of scenes are evocative of Mughal-e-Azam (1960), in which Dilip Kumar's Salim has a showdown with his own father, the emperor Akbar (Prithviraj Kapoor) that begins with loud words and ends in tears. Dilip Kumar is strongly complemented by Raakhee, who is terrific as his spouse. Sheetal is not a weepy bystander but a spirited woman who speaks her mind. Smita Patil too has several lovely scenes. Compared to Sholay, Shakti is plainly filmed. There are none of the visual pyrotechnics of that Indian Western, no moments consciously designed to draw whistles. Instead, there are searching moments of poignancy and emotional truth as a family tries to balance duty with individual goals, a commitment to righteousness with a young man's lingering sense of betrayal. Sippy was often faced with the question 'What after Sholay?' Shakti, that's what.
