New Delhi: The original version of the 1975 classic Sholay, in which Thakur Baldev Singh kills Gabbar Singh, will be screened at the upcoming Indian Film Festival of Sydney.
When Sholay was first made, director Ramesh Sippy had envisioned a different climax, with Thakur (Sanjeev Kumar) killing Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan).
Distributors, however, persuaded him to alter the ending, resulting in the released version where Gabbar is spared and handed over to the police. The original ending, though filmed, remained unseen for decades, until now.
Fifty years after its release, the Indian Film Festival of Sydney (IFFS) has announced that the restored version of Sholay featuring the alternate climax will be its centrepiece film this October.
Organised by the team behind the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), the festival will run from October 9 to 11.
Recognised as one of the most iconic works in Indian cinema, Sholay has been restored in 4K by the Film Heritage Foundation in association with Sippy Films.
The restoration process involved tracing a rare colour reversal print in London and recovering original negatives and long-lost deleted footage from a warehouse in Mumbai.
The newly restored version brings back the film’s original 70 mm format, offering audiences a chance to experience Ramesh Sippy’s intended vision on the big screen.
Festival Director Mitu Bhowmick Lange said she was delighted to present the milestone screening in Sydney. “Sholay is more than a film; it is woven into the fabric of Indian storytelling, memory and myth.
To bring back its original ending, after all these years, is to restore not just a different final scene, but the full vision of its creator.
As we mark 50 years of Sholay, we honour the courage of cinema to challenge, to endure, and to be reborn in its truest form. We are thrilled that Sydney audiences will now see the film as it was always meant to be seen,” she said.
Directed by Ramesh Sippy, Sholay has often been described as a “Curry Western,” drawing inspiration from Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns.
Released in August 1975, Sholay starred Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, Sanjeev Kumar, and Amjad Khan. Its enduring popularity, memorable dialogues, and characters have secured it a lasting place in Indian popular culture.
