When Salim-Javed predicted that 'Sholay' will make Rs 1 crore per territory, more than Rajesh Khanna's 'Haathi Mere Saathi' which collected Rs 90 lakhs per territory: 'People made fun...'
,
Dharmendra
, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, Amjad Khan starrer 'Sholay' is now considered the biggest film of Hindi cinema. It's a cult and how. And just as the movie is set to complete 50 years now on August 15, here's recalling the fact that the film was considered a flop initially.
Everything went against the film, people thought that the movie has lots of 'wrong' things which made it a huge flop. The end saw Amitabh Bachchan dying and the makers also considered changing the climax because it was not working. But things changed and how.
In an old interview with Rajeev Masand on News18 Showsha,
Salim Khan
and
Javed Akhtar
who are the writers of 'Sholay' spoke about the film and how it made history. The legendary duo Salim-Javed, was asked that when 'Sholay' initially released, it was called a flop.
They were asked, 'The Sippys (Ramesh Sippy and team) also got into damage control but you guys stopped them and said nothing has to be changed."
Reacting to it, Salim Khan said, "That time the maximum business was done by 'Haathi Mere Saathi', which was Rs 90 lakhs per territory. So, we just went ahead and added about Rs 10 lakhs and said, Sholay will do more than Rs 1 crore in each territory. People started laughing, making fun of us and they thought Rs 1 crore yeh all India ka total business hoga.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Buy Resmed AirSense 11 with flat 20% off
ResMed
Buy Now
Undo
But we went wrong and terribly wrong as the film actually made more than that.
It made Rs 2-3 crore per territory."
Javed Akhtar recalled, "A Trade magazine had taken out a supplement and said, 'Why Sholay has flopped?' They put out the reasons because everything was wrong with it. The casting is wrong, the emotions were negative, all that was written in it." Salim Khan added further, "They also said, Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar unke saamne aapne ek naya villain khada kiya hai.
He became the biggest villain eventually.
"
Akhtar chuckled and said, "A major film star who is totally devoid of sense of humour, he said you have given a negative feeling. A friend goes and destroys his friend's marriage and is this funny?"
Clearly, against all odds, the movie was a huge hit at the box office and proved to be a cult. The film, its songs, dialogues and the characters are still celebrated over the years. 'Sholay' was made under a budget of Rs 3 crore and went on to earn Rs 15 crore that time. As per today's inflated prices, 50 years later, the collection would be considered much higher.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Time of India
Fefka, SAMAM seek police action against Vinayakan
Kochi: Film Employees Federation of Kerala (Fefka) and Malayalam playback singers' organisation SAMAM have demanded police action against actor Vinayakan, who hurled abuses at singer K J Yesudas in a Facebook post recently. Though the award-winning actor removed the post, criticism has been widespread against him from various quarters since then. Strongly condemning Vinayakan's post, the Fefka music directors' union demanded strict legal action against him for "insulting Yesudas publicly". "Despite coming from a challenging social and economic background, Yesudas rose to become a revered figure in music. Insulting such a great artist is a disgraceful act," said a statement by the union. "Beyond film songs, Yesudas is celebrated for popularising Carnatic music. His contributions to music are invaluable, having sung in almost every Indian language. Every Malayali takes pride in Yesudas and no artist can tolerate hearing him being insulted publicly," it said. SAMAM also issued a statement against Vinayakan on Saturday. It has also approached chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and cultural minister Saji Cherian, demanding a police case be registered against Vinayakan. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why Seniors Are Snapping Up This TV Box, We Explain! Techno Mag Learn More Undo Yesudas is the chairman of the singers' organisation. Titled 'Vinayakan's actions are unforgivable!' the statement was critical of the offensive remarks by the actor, terming them "disgraceful and deplorable to the Malayali community". "We will go to any length against this cyber hooliganism. If Vinayakan does not publicly apologize to Yesudas and the community (not just a simple "Sorry"), there will be no audience for his films or public appearances," the statement said. Amid criticism from various quarters, Vinayakan posted 'Sorry' on Facebook a day after posting the abusive remarks. Earlier, playback singers G Venugopal and K G Markose also criticised Vinayakan for the Facebook post on Yesudas. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Time of India
Vipin Sharma talks about playing cross-dressing father in Dhadak 2: 'Taare Zameen Par ke baad bohot galiyan…'
Vipin Sharma, famed for 'Taare Zameen Par,' discussed his role as a cross-dressing father in 'Dhadak 2,' calling it a beautiful experience. He aimed to overcome past criticism and showcase a father's loving heart. Sharma shared his surprise at resembling his mother when dressed as a woman and praised 'Dhadak 2' stars Triptii Dimri and Siddhant Chaturvedi. Vipin Sharma , widely remembered for his role as the strict father in Taare Zameen Par, recently opened up about his challenging yet rewarding experience playing a cross-dressing father in Dhadak 2. In an interview, he reflected on overcoming past criticism, embracing new dimensions of his craft, and his admiration for the film's young leads. Finding beauty in the role When asked about playing a cross-dressing dad, Vipin told News18 that he found the role beautiful. He also mentioned that after his role in Taare Zameen Par, he faced a lot of criticism and wanted to redeem himself by showing that every father has a loving heart. Facing criticism from misconceptions Talking about facing criticism for his role in Taare Zameen Par, the actor shared an incident where an assistant director told a filmmaker that he was very arrogant without even meeting him. When Vipin confronted the assistant director, he learned that this misconception was because of his character in the film. Sharma had always wanted to play a female character, and the show Monkey Man helped him fulfill that dream. He shared that wearing a saree for the role showed him how graceful the attire truly is, calling it the most elegant outfit in the world. A personal transformation Vipin also shared that dressing up as a woman brought a deep, unexpected change within him, allowing him to discover a different side of himself. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The #1 Mistake People with Ringing Ears Make Every Night in Bed Derila Ergo Undo He also recalled a major realization while preparing for the role—when he first saw himself in a saree, he noticed he resembled his mother, something he had never realized before, as he always thought he looked like his father. He also praised the lead actors of Dhadak 2, Triptii Dimri and Siddhant Chaturvedi , calling them wonderful people. He shared that watching Triptii on screen stirred a wave of emotions in him. About Dhadak 2 Dhadak 2 tells the story of a law student who falls in love with a classmate but faces family abuse because of caste differences. The film has been praised for its sensitive handling of casteism. Produced by Karan Johar 's Dharma Productions, Zee Studios, and Cloud 9 Pictures, Dhadak 2 was originally set to release in November last year but faced several delays, reportedly due to issues with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). It is a spiritual sequel to the 2018 film Dhadak.
Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Time of India
As a writer I believe a story can, and must, transcend genres, says Chidananda S Naik
In an industry often eager to categorise, Chidananda S Naik resists limiting stories to a single genre. 'Today's films are rarely one-note. So I'm writing across genres — layered, organic, evolving, and free-flowing. I've always believed in genre-blending, and I think stories now demand that,' says the Kannada filmmaker who has been quietly carving out a space for himself. His folk tale adaptation, Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know premiered at Cannes 2024, marking a significant moment in his career. It also recently won Best Script in the Non-Feature Film category at the 71st National Film Awards. Following Sunflowers, Chidananda is now working on his first feature-length film. 'It's the kind of film I've always wanted to make. That's why it's taking a little longer to shape. I want to go deep into it—not just technically, but emotionally. I'm still in the thick of writing and collaborating. But I'm fully immersed. Fully invested.' Even as he shapes the story, he remains wary of creative constraints. 'Marketing might want a label, but as a writer, I feel a story shouldn't be limited that way,' he says. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like She Was Everyone's Dream Girl In 90's, This Is Her Now The Latest Article Undo 'Recognition makes people sit up and pay attention' Has recognition changed the way people respond to him? 'Recognition like this makes people take you more seriously. But more than anything, I think it shrinks time—the time it takes to put yourself out there.' The Mysuru-born director is taking it all in stride. 'With recognition comes more responsibility. Of course, expectations are higher too — but that's a good kind of pressure. Also, with recognition, the seriousness of your work begins to show. Earlier, it was hard to even get meetings. Now, people listen. They're willing to collaborate. And more than that, they expect more from me. That's a sign of trust. I just hope I continue to deserve it,' he says.
