First Published Sep 27, 2024, 8:58 PM IST | Last Updated Sep 27, 2024, 8:58 PM IST
Mumbai: Released in 1975, Sholay is a film that created a revolution in the Indian film industry. It can be said that Sholay changed the very concept of Indian entertainment films. Directed by Ramesh Sippy, the film was a mass masala film that combined elements of spaghetti westerns and samurai films. Produced by the Salim-Javed duo, Sholay featured Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan and Amjad Khan.
Although there have already been many discussions, writings and books about this film. Even after 49 years of its theatrical release, Sholay is a Bollywood film that has created curiosity.
Recently, actor-director Sachin Pilgaonkar’s revelation about the film is now going viral. Sachin Pilgaonkar reveals that the director of the film, Ramesh Sippy, directed only the main actors like Amitabh, Dharmendra and Sanjeev.
“There are no lead actors and Rameshji decided to have a second unit to do some action sequences. It was just passing shots. For this he had a director of stunt films named Muhammad Ali Bhai. He was a famous stunt filmmaker and had an action director Azim Bhai with him.
But then two guys named Jim and Jerry came from Hollywood. Ramesh Sippy wanted them to work with him as they were foreigners. This was also because what would they do without knowing anything about cinema? At that time, only two people were idle in the unit. One was Amjad Khan, the other was me,” Sachin Pilgaonkar revealed in an interview on YouTube channel Khane Mein Kya Hai.
Amjad Khan played the main villain Gabbar in Sholay and Sachin also appeared as Ahmed in the film. “Then Ramesh Sippy assigned us to look at the second unit. Ramesh Sippy was aware of his and Amjad’s interest in directing and that influenced the decision. For us it was like a blind man praying for one eye and getting two”.
He also mentioned that the train robbery scene shot on the Bombay-Poona railway route near Panvel was shot without Ramesh Sippy. “Ramesh Sippy will come on set only if Dharamji, Amitji and Sanjeev Kumar are on the shoot. Rameshji shot those parts. We handled the rest of the scenes,” Sachin added.
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