The Indian Film Festival of Sydney (IFFS) is set to screen a restored version of the Bollywood classic "Sholay," complete with its original ending, in October. The festival, a three-day celebration of Indian cinema, will take place from October 9 to 11.
This restored version of "Sholay," starring Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra, premiered earlier this month at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The restoration was a meticulous, years-long process undertaken by the Film Heritage Foundation in collaboration with Sippy Films. The team located a rare color reversal print in London and recovered original camera negatives and long-lost deleted scenes from a Mumbai warehouse. The restored version is in 4K.
One of the most exciting aspects of this restored version is the inclusion of the original ending envisioned by director Ramesh Sippy. In this ending, Thakur, played by Sanjeev Kumar, finally avenges his family by killing the ruthless dacoit Gabbar Singh. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) deemed the original ending too violent when the film was first released, leading to the alternate ending where Thakur hands Gabbar Singh over to the police.
Festival Director Mitu Bhowmick Lange expressed immense pride in presenting the restored "Sholay" in Sydney. She stated that it is not just the revival of a classic but the revival of a piece of shared cultural history. She also noted the significance of audiences experiencing the film with the ending that Ramesh Sippy originally intended. Showcasing this restoration alongside both timeless and new stories embodies the festival's spirit of celebrating Indian cinema in all its dimensions. The demand for the shows increased when it was announced that the original version would screen in Sydney on October 9 and 10. Lange said that bringing back the film's original ending after all these years restores not just a different final scene but the full vision of its creator.
"Sholay," directed by Ramesh Sippy, tells the story of two criminals, Veeru and Jai, who are hired by a retired police officer to capture Gabbar Singh. Hema Malini and Jaya Bhaduri play Basanti and Radha, the love interests of Veeru and Jai, respectively. The movie was filmed in the rocky landscapes of Ramanagara, Karnataka. Filming commenced in October 1973 and took two and a half years to complete.
