Before 50th b'day of ‘The Greatest Film Ever Made', Kolkata recalls its favourite ‘Sholay' moments that unite generations

Time of India

a day ago

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Kolkata: It has been 50 years since Jai and Veeru took on
Gabbar Singh
in an epic battle that may have ended on-screen with the latter being vanquished, but it continues to enthral generations of cine-lovers.
They remain enamoured by the drama, action, thrill, and sheer grandeur of 'Sholay', which hit the theatres on Aug 15, 1975.
Initially written off as "another dacoit film with too much violence" by a section of critics, it turned out to be India's most successful film at the box office. Watching it multiple times became a ritual for millions across the country. They stood in night-long queues to buy tickets for the film, jostled and bargained with blackers, lied to parents to watch it on the sly, revelled in watching it with friends and families, and soaked in whatever happened around the screening, creating life-long memories for 'Sholay-addicts' who still swear by it.
The magic of 'Sholay' hasn't curiously dwindled with time. It is still enjoyed by those who saw it half a century ago and millennials who have switched to OTT.
Seventy-five-year-old Jawaharlal Yadav, then a resident of Chandernagore, watched the first show at Jyoti with two friends. He has vivid memories of the crowd spilling over at the theatre, the loud whistles at the dialogues, and the clatter of coins that were hurled at the screen after almost every scene.
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"We were at the balcony and could barely catch the dialogues due to the cheer and the chaos that broke out once the show started.
It was clear that this film was going to make history, and it indeed came true. We returned to watch the film five times within the first two weeks," said Yadav, who is now a realtor in Kolkata.
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Yadav added that he still watches the film on YouTube, and his teenage grandson, a medicine student, is also a 'Sholay' fan.
"The aura of 'Sholay' has transcended generations. While my grandson hardly shares any common interest with me, 'Sholay' remains an exception," he said.
Diotima Chattoraj, 33, now settled in Singapore with her husband Joyjit, watched 'Sholay' at a theatre there with their 10-year-old daughter Pritijita in June. "I first saw 'Sholay' as a nine-year-old at Menoka and wanted my daughter to do the same. Since it was running here, we rushed to catch the show.
To my delight, my daughter loved it," she said.
In Dec last year, Midnapore resident Bikash Sidhanta visited the location in Mysore where 'Sholay' was filmed. He learned about the spot from a taxi driver while arranging medical treatment for his wife. The Ramgarh station and the red hills are still there, he said. Now over 60, he watched the movie twice in Midnapore's Mahua and Aurora and once at Jyoti cinema in Kolkata.
He still occasionally watches it on TV and has viewed it multiple times on YouTube.
"During the lockdown, I discovered that Sholay's theme was inspired by the music director of the movie 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly', which I then watched online. In Midnapore, I once stood in a long line to buy a front stall ticket for 75 paise, stepping on shoulders to reach the counter. I was 11 when the movie was released and have seen it many times since," he said.
Sheikh Alam, a 62-year-old retired govt employee, echoed: "I have watched 'Sholay' 75 times in various theatres like Manoj Talkies, Paradise, Natraj, and Shankar. The dialogues and performances still move me," said Alam.
Amitabh Bachchan Fan Club member Vijay Patodiya also watched the first show at Jyoti. "It was like a celebration, and the crowd went wild as Bachchan and Dharmendra exchanged fire with the dacoits chasing their train on horses. When Bachchan shot the last one, the cheer that followed blocked out all the dialogues for the next five minutes. I still get goosebumps thinking about it," he recalled.
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