Sholay - Movie Review

Fayaz Ghiasy

Directed by Ramesh Sippy, Sholay has been one of the most analyzed and quoted movies of Indian cinema. It is the highest grossing film in Indian cinema ever which was played for more than five years in some theaters when it first opened.

The movie begins with Thakur Baldev Singh trying to look for two thieves he apprehended long time ago when he was a policeman. Thakur wants the help of these two notorious thieves to get back on Gabbar Singh an infamous dacoit who Thakur put in jail long ago. Gabbar got away from prison and murdered Thakur’s entries family and Thakur now wants the two thieves to find Gabbar and bring him in alive.

Gabbar Singh is one of the most popular villains in Indian cinema and some of his lines are quoted by many. He appears in the movie later then usually villains do in movies, but you hear about his doings from the begging of the movie. Before he appears, he is heard walking on the rocks and his men’s face terrified of him. Some of his most memorable and quoted lines are “Jo dar gaya samjo margaya”, (those that get scared, are dead). “Are o Saambha, kitne admit ay”, how many men were there? “Bahut yaarana lagta hai”, you are hot for each other.

Veeru (Dharmendra) childish funny guy and his friend Jai (Amitabh Bachan), the other thief, are both brought to the village to help the Thakur with Gabbar. And like all other Indian movies there are songs, dancing, comedy, drama, violence. Veeru falls in love with Basanti, and Jai with Thakur’s widowed daughter in law. These four, Dharmendra, Hema, Amitabh, and Jaya were involved with each other also off screen and ended up marrying each other.

Sholay has influenced many blockbusters like Main Hoon Na, Musafir, and Main Pyar Kiya, all of which of either quoted the film or made some kind of reference to Sholay. Some places still continue to run this movie with full theaters, this movie’s songs are still heard in parties and taxis and many other places. They also tried to do a remake of the movie called Aag, but like remakes of any other great movie, Ram Gopa Varma did not get close to what Sholay was. The songs are not as good, the casting, choreography, the emotions drama and thrill are all missing.

I have loved Sholay ever since I first saw it more than 15 years ago and many more times since. The songs, the action, drama, humor, characters, the script, heroes and the villains are all amazing. I think anyone who is interested in Indian cinema should watch this movie, the most quoted, one of the most played and highest grossing film in Indian cimena.