'Dusra Sholay Banana Mushkil Hai': Hema Malini Reacts To Iconic Film Completing 50
Hema Malini opens up on Sholay turning 50, saying the film's success was unimaginable back then. She calls its legacy one of a kind.
It's not every day that a film turns 50 and still finds a place in Parliament conversations. But Sholay isn't just any film. As India gears up to mark the golden jubilee of the iconic 1975 release this Independence Day, Hema Malini – who played Basanti in the Ramesh Sippy classic- shared what it feels like to be part of something that's now part of national history.
'Humein khushi hoti hai. Jab kaam karna shuru kiya tha tab maalom nahi tha, itna bada hit hoga, and after 50 years, you are going to ask me a question about that in Parliament," she said, speaking to ANI.
The legendary film starred Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Amjad Khan, Jaya Bachchan, and Hema herself. While it's now considered a cult classic, few may remember that Sholay had a slow start. In its first couple of weeks, the film struggled to find its audience. But with time—and strong word of mouth—it rewrote the rules of what a blockbuster could be.
Reflecting on how far things have come since those early days, Hema added, 'That time mujhe kya maalom tha, hum Parliament mein aayenge. Woh waqt alag tha, picture bas bangayi. Dusra Sholay banana mushkil hai."
Packed with drama and unforgettable lines, Sholay went on to run for five years at Mumbai's Minerva Theatre. It held the record for the longest-running film until Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge came along.
It's been a while since fans saw Hema Malini on the big screen-her last film was Shimla Mirchi in 2020- but her memories of Sholay are as sharp as ever. And clearly, its legacy is still going strong.
Sholay follows the story of two small-time criminals, Jai and Veeru, who are hired by a retired police officer, Thakur Baldev Singh, to capture a ruthless bandit named Gabbar Singh. The Thakur wants revenge for the brutal murder of his family at the hands of Gabbar. Jai and Veeru arrive in the village of Ramgarh and slowly bond with the locals, including Basanti, a talkative horse-cart driver, and Radha, the Thakur's quiet daughter-in-law. As they try to protect the village and bring Gabbar to justice, the friendship between Jai and Veeru is tested, leading to moments of action, humour, heartbreak and sacrifice. The film ends with a dramatic face-off, making Sholay one of Indian cinema's most powerful and unforgettable stories.
First Published:
August 04, 2025, 15:55 IST
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