After 40 years ‘Sholay being released in Pakistan in 3D format

KARACHI: Almost every fan of Bollywood movies has probably seen Sholay at some point of time but Pakistanis will finally have a chance to see it on the big screen when it hits theatres on April 17 nearly four decades after its release.
In association with Geo and Jang group, Mandiwalla Entertainment will release this film in 3D format all over Pakistan.Shoolay directed by Ramesh Sippy starring Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, Amjad Khan and others will attract a new generation of fans who will be eager to watch it on the big screen.
Sholay is a 1975 Indian Hindi action-adventure film directed by Ramesh Sippy and produced by his father G P Sippy. The film follows two criminals, Veeru and Jai (played by Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan), hired by a retired police officer (Sanjeev Kumar) to capture the ruthless dacoit Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan). Hema Malini and Jaya Bhaduri also starred as Veeru and Jai’s love interests. Sholay is considered a classic and one of the best Indian films. It was ranked first in the British Film Institute’s 2002 poll of ‘Top 10 Indian Films’ of all time. In 2005, the judges of the 50th annual Filmfare Awards named it the Best Film of 50 Years.
Sholay, a trendsetter box office success, broke records for continuous showings in many theatres across India, and ran for more than five years at Mumbai’s Minerva theatre. By some accounts, Sholay is the highest grossing Indian film of all time.
The film drew heavily from the conventions of Westerns, and is a defining example of the masala film, which mixes several genres in one work. Scholars have noted several themes in the film, such as glorification of violence, conformation to feudal ethos, debate between social order and mobilised usurpers, homosocial bonding, and the film’s role as a national allegory. The combined sales of the original soundtrack, scored by R D Burman set new sale records. The film’s dialogues and certain characters became extremely popular, contributing to numerous cultural memes and becoming part of India’s daily vernacular.
“I am quite surprised that Sholay had a life so long. When we were making it, I don’t think any of us would realised that it was going to be that historic,” megastar Amitabh Bachan said.
The actor says his memories of the film are still fresh and it seems like only yesterday when the film’s script was narrated to him. The film has a lot of memories for him particularly because he had just finished working in Zanjeer by then. It was just fantastic to be working with Ramesh Sippy, Dharamji, Hemaji, said Bachchan.