Right next to the parking lot at the IFFI (International Film Festival of India) venue in Goa – just past the security checkpoint – stands the Sholay motorcycle, displayed inside a glass enclosure. The iconic 1942 BSA WM20 is pulling more fans than the red-carpet this year. The motorcycle, which Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra rode through the Yeh Dosti song sequence, has been brought out of the archives by Karnataka’s Department of Information and Public Relations to celebrate the film’s 50th anniversary, and cinephiles can’t get enough of it.

Cinephiles heading to screenings pause to pose beside the motorcycle, snapping photos of the registration plate – MYB 3047 from the erstwhile Mysore state. Most of them are heard asking the same questions: “Is this really the bike from Sholay ?”, “Does it still run?” and “Is it a replica?”

Replica or not (yes, it’s the real bike), very few installations across the festival grounds have drawn cinephiles at IFFI like this motorcycle. Following Dharmendra’s demise on November 25, more festival-goers have been flocking to see it.

Grace, a cinephile who went behind the motorcycle to get a shot with it, said, “If not for the Sholay poster, we would’ve walked right past it. It’s so iconic, I can’t believe it’s the same motorcycle. But I wish the sidecar was there too!” Another festivalgoer, Jacob Verghese, said, “No matter which generation you are from, you know the Yeh Dosti song. You know that bike. Seeing it here at IFFI is like a piece of movie history on display.”

The song Yeh Dosti was shot over 20 days. Director Ramesh Sippy and cinematographer Dwarka Divecha added a sidecar to the bike to emphasize the friendship and filmed the sequence with a 180-degree effect – making viewers feel as if they were riding with Jai and Veeru.

Fans of Sholay will have to wait longer to watch the remastered version of the iconic 1975 classic, originally scheduled for a special screening at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). HT City has learnt that the screening has now been called off. The cancellation comes at a time when fans are already grieving the loss of its beloved star Dharmendra. The veteran actor, who played Veeru in Sholay, died on November 24 at the age of 89.

An official source tells us that the screening was scrapped due to “technical glitches from the makers’ side.” Director Ramesh Sippy and actor Hema Malini were expected to walk the red carpet for the event. However, with Dharmendra’s deteriorating health over the past few weeks, Hema’s appearance was already uncertain. Many had, in fact, initially attributed this as the reason for the screening not happening.

The film’s 4K version will release in theatres on December 12. Meanwhile, Ramesh Sippy’s session on 50 years of Sholay will take place as scheduled at the festival.

When Ramesh Sippy took the stage at the 31st Kolkata International Film Festival for the Satyajit Ray Memorial Lecture, the packed hall was transported back to the dusty plains of Ramgarh, where Sholay first came alive. Fifty years since its release, the filmmaker’s words still carried the same spark of storytelling that defined one of Indian cinema’s greatest epics.

Ramesh Sippy recalled, “Sholay started as a two-line idea, maybe four, about an army officer and two mischievous ex-soldiers, later changed to police officers because army permissions would have slowed filming.”

He praised Salim-Javed, saying, “I told Javed sahib only about Gabbar - impulsive, heady, smiling one moment and exploding the next. From his first narration, I knew he’d captured exactly what I wanted. That scene in the ninth reel gave us the immortal line, ‘Kitne aadmi the?’”

On unseen technical challenges, Sippy explained, “The Thakur family massacre sequence took 23 days because weather kept changing; clouds appeared after days of perfect sunlight. The lamp-lighting scene with Amitabh and Jaya took 15–20 nights - we rehearsed in the afternoon and shot at dusk, often capturing just one take per day. There were no post-production fixes; every shot demanded meticulous planning, patience, and teamwork. Even a bike-with-sidecar shot was nailed in the first take after careful preparation.”

On casting, he said, “Dharmendra debated Thakur, Gabbar, and finally Veeru. Hema Malini’s speed and energy made Basanti unforgettable, while even small roles like Asrani’s jailor or Sachin’s priest’s son were built with perspective.”

Concluding on the film’s legacy, he reflected, “Every frame, every contribution - from Salim-Javed to technicians like M S Shinde and Mangesh Desai, to artisans like Aziz Bhai - mattered. That’s why Sholay endures, fifty years later, delighting audiences worldwide.”

For Sippy, the core of filmmaking lies in balance - between art and commerce, between dream and discipline. “The combination of art and commerce, to me, is true cinema,” he said. “Markets change, but the fundamentals remain. Filmmakers, producers, financiers -all adapt, but what lasts is sincerity.” 

He dismissed the idea that cinema is losing its relevance. “Don’t believe for a moment that cinema is dead,” Sippy said. “It’s alive and thriving. Every genuine hit proves how audiences still come back to fill the halls. Multiplexes may be smaller than single-screen theatres, but they deliver what matters - great sound, beautiful projection, and that same old magic.”

Sippy’s message to young filmmakers was clear: “Follow your dreams, trust your instincts, and give the world good, powerful, entertaining cinema. The audience always knows what’s genuine - and they reward sincerity and passion. That’s the real legacy.”

He also spoke about the role of women in cinema, the rise of new voices, and how technology has transformed storytelling. “Whether you learn in film school or by observation, what matters is the urge to create,” he said. “Any time is a good time for cinema.”

The filmmaker grew nostalgic as he reflected on Bengal’s influence on his work. “To have someone like Satyajit Ray admire Sholay is an honour I’ll always hold close,” he said.

“Ray’s storytelling taught generations of filmmakers to aim higher.” He acknowledged the imprint of Bengali cinema on his own philosophy, adding, “I learned so much from Bengali cinema and from filmmakers everywhere: the ideal is always to combine art and commerce, making films that connect with audiences on all levels.”

Expressing a desire to return to Kolkata, he said, “Kolkata breathes cinema. I think I would be quite happy to look at some kind of proposal, a project bridging Bombay and Bengal. If we find the right film, the right subject that appeals to both audiences, and in general, to everyone, I’ll be very happy and willing to do it. If the opportunity arises, I’d love to make something that bridges Bombay and Bengal, a story that speaks to everyone.”

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“My father was in films, but my first visit to a set was when I was just seven years old. I walked through those huge wires and all the equipment on set. It was dangerous, I realize now, but at the time, as a kid, I didn’t think about that. I was simply fascinated by the entire atmosphere.” - Ramesh Sippy

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“Don’t think that cinema is dead. It is very much alive, and when a hit comes along, you realize the audience never left - they always come back. Whenever there’s a good film, they will return” - Ramesh Sippy

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“Satyajit Ray was a great admirer of Sholay. He once told me it was one of the most well-crafted films in Indian cinema he had ever seen.” - Goutam Ghose

Mumbai: Even as his most iconic film ‘Sholay’ was playing as a Diwali highlight on television, legendary comedian and character actor Asrani passed away at the age of 84 Monday, reports Bella Jaisinghani. His familiar face and nasal twang brought smiles to generations of film audiences through 300 films over a career spanning 50 years.

“He was feeling weak for the past 15 days and had respiratory difficulty four days ago. He was hospitalized in Juhu. The final rites were performed in Santacruz crematorium with wife Manju (Bansal) and friends in attendance,” said secretary Babubhai Thiba. Manju was an actress who featured as Asrani’s wife in his famous Champak Bhoomiya avatar in ‘Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar’.

The death of the actor known for his iconic line, ‘Angrezon ke zamane ke jailor’, evoked a wave of sorrow nationwide. Born Govardhan Asrani to a carpet dealer in Jaipur in Jan 1941, he completed his school and college education in his native state before heading to FTII Pune to make a career in cinema.

After being advised to try his luck in cinema by Kishore Sahu and Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Asrani was first noticed in ‘Satyakam’ then ‘Mere Apne’ (1971) followed by Abhimaan. He accompanied Rajesh Khanna in nearly 25 films from 1972 onwards, including ‘Namak Haram’ and ‘Bawarchi’. He lent able support to Amitabh Bachchan especially as his Sindhi secretary in ‘Abhimaan’ and P K Shrivastav in ‘Chupke Chupke’.

Asrani’s memorable roles include Roti, Prem Nagar, Chhoti Si Baat, Rafoo Chakkar, Sholay, Balika Badhu, Fakira and Anurodh. He got to express more nuanced performances in Koshish and shades of grey in Nikaah and Ab Kya Hoga.

The multifaceted artist also experimented with singing as a horse cart driver in Alaap. Asrani later wrote and directed ‘Chala Murari Hero Banne’ which along with ‘Salaam Memsaab’ cast him as hero.

A diverse range of directors from Hrishikesh Mukherjee to Basu Chatterji, onward to David Dhawan and Priyadarshan, exploited his talent well. Asrani also enacted scores of Gujarati films as hero, and directed a few.

He won the Filmfare Award for Best Comedian for Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar and Balika Badhu. The audience of the 2000s became familiar with him through Hera Pheri, Chup Chup Ke, Hulchul, Deewane Huye Paagal, Garam Masala, Dhamaal, Malamaal Weekly, Bhagam Bhag and Bhool Bhulaiyaa.

Akshay Kumar mourned his loss saying, “Speechless with grief at the passing of Asrani ji. We had just shared the warmest of hugs just a week back at the shoot of Haiwaan. Bahot pyare insaan the. He had the most legendary comic timing. From all my cult films Hera Pheri to Bhagam Bhag to De Dana Dan, Welcome and now our unreleased Bhoot Bangla and Haiwaan.. I had learned so much from him.. thank you for giving us a million reasons to laugh.”

NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule to his alma mater FTII, people and institutions mourned Asrani’s death. One fan wrote a beautiful epitaph on social media. Quoting his dialogue from Sholay, he said, “Aadhe idhar jao, aadhe udhar jao. Baaqi mere peechhe aao! Truly no one can follow your footsteps, Asrani Sahab.”

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For Ramesh Sippy, 2025 has been a significant year. The veteran filmmaker’s masterpiece Sholay completed 50 years of its release in August. Over decades, Sippy has carried the tag of the Sholay director. It’s something he wears with pride, but doesn’t let it weigh him down.

“I never felt any pressure to outdo Sholay. Every film must have its own identity. I don’t chase success; I chase inspiration,” he begins, when we, after over two months of chasing the filmmaker, sit down for a chat with him.

Inspiration has struck him again. The filmmaker, whose last directorial venture Shimla Mirchi released in 2020, is going back to the director’s chair.

“I’m developing a new project. It’s in its early stages. I’ve always believed in being completely sure of an idea before moving forward. Once I’m certain, you’ll hear an announcement,” he says, refusing to divulge any further details. While the buzz is that the project is an action film, he stays tight-lipped, only saying, “I am currently shaping it with writers.”

Sippy is understandably more forthcoming as we turn the lens on his 1975 classic starring Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini, and Amjad Khan. To mark the 50-year milestone, the movie’s restored version was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. Many domestic film festivals too hosted special screenings. The response continues to move Sippy deeply.

“It’s overwhelming. When we made the film, we had no idea what it would become. I recently watched Sholay in Toronto with a full house, and the audience reacted exactly as Indian viewers did back in 1975. That was truly heart-warming.”

Very few Hindi films have managed to be as enduring as the classic. Ask Sippy the secret to the movie’s longevity and he points to its honesty.

“We kept it simple — drama where it was needed, humour and warmth where it belonged. Salim-Javed wrote a superb script, and the actors performed with sincerity. Add to that R D Burman’s unforgettable music, and everything just clicked.”

In today’s cinematic landscape, a film like Sholay would have spawned sequels and spin-offs. But Sippy never considered taking that route. “The culture of sequels didn’t exist back then, but more importantly, Sholay is fine as it is. After 50 years, the audiences react the same way. Why change something that continues to work perfectly? Some films should remain untouched.”

Ramesh Sippy with Hema Malini and Amjad Khan on the sets of Sholay

Sholay, the 1975 blockbuster that redefined Indian cinema, turned 50 earlier this year. Touted as the greatest Indian film ever made, the film was honoured at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), a recognition that speaks volumes for its timeless appeal and cultural influence.

Director Ramesh Sippy says, “Making a film is a lot of hard work. So, when it receives appreciation at the end of the day, it feels good. After all, being appreciated is an important aspect of moviemaking.”

Sholay created characters that became a part of popular cultural lore. However, Sippy dismisses the notion that the cult film helped him crack the formulaic moviemaking code in Indian cinema.

He says, “No one makes a good film with the thought that it must have some good songs, action that hasn’t been seen before, or a romantic scene that stands out. You begin with what you have, a bunch of writers who give you a strong storyline that you build up with good characters.”

Sippy says, “I was fortunate to have fine writers like Salim-Javed on board. Together, we were able to develop a powerful script. Casting the right actors was equally crucial. With music by R D Burman and lyrics by Anand Bakshi, we had a fabulous score.”

Surprisingly, Sholay did not open to a great start at the box office initially. He recalls, “Sholay was a very expensive film. It would normally cost Rs. 50-60 lakhs, but Sholay cost Rs. 3 crores, and trade pundits felt the movie would not be able to recover the money that was spent on it. No film had recovered that kind of cost, so they felt, what’s the point of it being a well-made film? We discussed the excessive criticism surrounding the film, but finally decided to leave it as it is. We thought time would tell and it did tell.”

The casting process of Sholay is the stuff of legends, with stories about Dharmendra initially wanting to play Thakur, while Sanjeev Kumar eyeing the role of Gabbar Singh.

Sippy shares, “If one character is more colourful, the other one seems to have more depth. Jaya Bachchan, playing the silent Radha, was just as important as the chatterbox Basanti, played by Hema Malini. It was the same in the case of Mr Bachchan as Jai, the silent and calm contrast to Dharam ji’s flamboyant and outspoken Veeru. It all worked out beautifully. However, it was not easy to make a film like Sholay. Most films are made in 40-50 days, but for Sholay, it took us 300 days to shoot it. We put our shoulders to the wheel as a team and plodded on.”

Sippy is firm in his belief that Sholay should never be remade. He says, “I will never make Sholay again. If the film is still being remembered after 50 years, does it make sense to make it again? Films like Sholay become timeless, which is why 50 years later, we’re still talking about them. If somebody else wants to remake Sholay, they can, but I personally would not want to.”

In 2007, Ram Gopal Varma attempted exactly that, with Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, but the film failed to resonate with the audience. Sippy recalls, “Ram Gopal Varma had come to me wanting to remake it, and I very politely suggested to him not to. However, every maker has a right, and I told him it’s entirely his decision.”

Poet and cultural scholar A K Ramanujan in his essay Three Hundred Ramayanas observes: “In India and in Southeast Asia, no one ever reads the Ramayana or the Mahabharata for the first time. The stories are there, 'always already.'” It would not be an unpardonable exaggeration if one uses this insight in the case of one of the greatest films of Hindi cinema: Sholay.

One does not watch Sholay for the first time. One hears, reads, laughs and celebrates Sholay for almost anything—causes, agendas, sarcasm, personal communication and pure entertainment. It is a force which unites the elite with the mainstream and creates cliques even among people who do not share a deep bond. It has created a language of its own in which people speak to communicate the intimate, the profound, the routine and the mundane with absolute precision without losing the context. So, Sholay is a national cinematic language which has remained alive since its release. And it will remain the national cinematic language till the time Hindi cinema is alive.

Recently, Sholay completed fifty years of its release. ET’s Rajesh N Naidu caught up with Rohan Sippy, an accomplished filmmaker himself and son of Sholay’s director Ramesh Sippy, to know his thoughts about the film. Rohan Sippy has directed critically-acclaimed and commercially well-accepted films such as Bluffmaster! and Dum Maaro Dum and web series such as The Office, Sandwiched Forever and Criminal Justice: A Family Matter. He also shared his views about his own works and the current situation of the Hindi film industry. Here are the edited excerpts:

I think it is marvellous how almost everything fell into place for the film. One must consider the time in which the film was made. They were working at a time of political emergency. People were paying income tax, which was as high as 97%. Then, there was entertainment tax which was as high as 177%. This means that doing the movie business itself was challenging and required a daredevil spirit. In this backdrop, there is a director and an able producer who have an ambition to make a film which is larger-than-life than any film made before it.

One can have writers who are at the peak of their powers. One can have a competent producer who had a unique vision, courage and conviction to go into unchartered territory. Yet, one can go wrong and fail. But they all succeeded. This is the most startling part of the story.

One must bear in mind that a lot of technical work of Sholay was done overseas. Technicians were flown to London. Then, there is such a huge cast. It is unimaginable to pull off such a film even today.

It is just the passion to do something special which is palpable in Sholay. They found the right collaborators. They were able to ride out so many challenges on so many different levels. In today’s parlance, going by the sheer confidence and daredevil attitude of the director, Sholay can be considered a Start-up Idea which paid off. A one-in-a-million idea which succeeded. But I don't think one could predict or foresee the kind of success which the film earned over the years. I think this is the case with most great films. A director may have vision, confidence and conviction. But no director can claim to know the recipe of success of a film.

I first saw Sholay when I was about four years old. It was a magical and overpowering experience. The experience lingered in me for a long time. As a teenager I studied abroad. I showed it to my friends. They also liked it. It has cut across geographies and generations including my daughter and her friends. For me, it is a mystery beyond a point. It has become part of India’s popular mythology. It is like one of our epics.

There are so many lessons within Sholay. Over the years, the film has evolved into a Bible in filmmaking. One comes back to the film for a solution to a writing problem in a script. There are lessons about how to create a world, build characters and focus on certain specific aspects of a scene.

I will give you an example. You look at the introduction of Gabbar Singh in the film. You can study the shot taking one by one and understand how the character is unfolding. There is so much unpredictability in the presentation of Gabbar Singh. You look at where the camera is placed when Gabbar is laughing or where the camera cuts suddenly when Gabbar is in an aggressive mood. Also, the whole drama that unfolds when his gun comes out. The amount of thought which has been poured into these scenes is so awe-inspiring that one does not ever absorb these thoughts in the scene in the first viewing itself. Even the scene where Jaya Bhaduri’s character returns the keys to Jay and Veeru. It is so specific and adds so much emotional depth to the film’s narrative.

Importantly, Sholay’s sound design is another special thing in the film. Many a time, one is tempted to watch the film only for its sound design. You listen to the background sound when Sachin’s dead body is brought back to the village. It is a lesson in bettering your screenplay through an effective sound design.

So, everything from performance to staging scenes to editing them and then, sound design, Sholay has lessons in almost every department of filmmaking.

I don't think I have had a sit-down discussion with my father about Sholay. The last thing I want to do is be the millionth person asking him about Sholay. But we discussed a lot about the writing process. From these discussions life lessons would emerge. Lessons about how to take on challenges and keep pushing even when there are a lot of things pushing you back. I learnt that one needs to have conviction in one’s vision and an uncompromising attitude in the pursuit of excellence even when there are easy ways to do things. But the biggest lesson I learnt from the discussions I had with my father is clarity of thought. One needs to have clarity of vision and then pursue it doggedly.

Another thing which I learnt from him is the ambition to be different and not go down a path that either everyone else is going down or something that you have gone down before. You look at his body of work. He has worked in multiple genres. From a love story like Andaz to an out-and-out comedy film like Seeta Aur Geeta to an action adventure like Sholay to a James Bond-kind film Shaan and then again returning to a different kind of love story with Sagar. He also did a different kind of drama version of Mother India in an urban setting through the film Shakti.

This ambition to go out and expand one’s own cinematic language has been a big thing for me. I have followed this in my own way. Apart from Criminal Justice, I did a sitcom like Sandwiched Forever which I shot in a five-camera set up. It was a new learning experience for me.

My father loved Westerns. He grew up watching them. He also liked horses. Even my grandfather owned racehorses and enjoyed that part of that passion as well. So, my father always thought about this idea of making a film which is close to a western. He always thought: Why cannot we make a film like a western in India? So, I think that was the kernel of the idea of Sholay. Then, I think the discussion with Salim sahab and Javed sahab started. Subsequently, the core story of the film emerged. Then, they bounced the story off with my grandfather. My grandfather instinctively saw potential in the story.

I think at that time there were two films. One was Majboor, a complete script. And the other was this idea of an outdoor western kind of film which will be Sholay. Then this story kept growing big day by day organically. They realized that they would have to fill a big canvas. So, they kept on working because they instinctively knew it was a good idea. I think this is the process by which they end up making the film.

The film’s screenplay was written in sixteen days and in another sixteen days the film’s dialogues were written. So, in a month’s time they had pretty much something very close to the shooting draft and maybe a few scenes here and there were fleshed out later.

Those scenes reflect the power of a director who is at the peak of his powers. He was such a daredevil director. He knew that he was taking a little liberty. But he was confident that he will be able to pull it off. It could have been a tighter screenplay. But then the impact would not have been the same. These imperfections and slight diversions make Sholay what it is. These scenes give the film its soul.

I think those dialogues are like the cherry on the top of a cake. They sound like a distinct cymbal clash in a beautiful 100-piece orchestra. This is the impact of these dialogues. Everything else is working in a perfect concert. These dialogues make the film memorable. A viewer who comes out of the cinema knows these dialogues. For instance, think about the dialogue: Purey Pachaas Hazaar. It works because there is a lilt to it. In that scene, there is threat, fear and the crescendo of the scene is the dialogue. There is an emotional impact on the audience. I think it was the first time a separate Long Playing (LP) record of dialogues of a film was released. This shows the extent to which the audiences connected with the film. This took the film’s acceptance to another level.

I think my father had earned a reputation as a young, incredibly talented and visionary director before he embarked on the journey of making Sholay. He had delivered two hit films. A lot of actors wanted to work with him. He had developed relationships with big and talented actors such as Sanjeev Kumar ji, Dharmendra ji and Hema Malini ji by this time.

Mr. Bachchan was not in the successful phase of his career. But my father loved him as an actor. My father knew that because he is not at that successful phase it would be easier to handle him than someone who might be at the peak of their power. Then, Jaya ji came on board as she also liked the overall story. There was a certain way in which actors worked that time. They would not just focus on their roles. They would focus on two important things. First: whether they want to be part of a story. And the other is: whether the story of a film was worth telling. This is how actors worked that time. So, it was not a difficult task to bring together these big actors. Also, one needs to bear in mind that the story needed these big stars given its scale. The casting of the film can be summed up as the right person emerging at the right time.

I think inspiration is always there. One is inspired by others. The great Japanese director Akira Kurosawa was inspired by pulp western books. Then, he in turn inspired American filmmakers. Subsequently, American filmmakers inspired us and others. So, there develops a tribe of storytellers. I think this tribe of storytelling tradition goes back to William Shakespeare. So many of Shakespeare’s stories have geneses or roots in other stories and events. Then, you go back to oral traditions. One picks up from there also. But it is not an easy thing to do.

In Hindi, there is a saying which goes: Nakal Ke Liye Bhi Akal Chahiye (One must possess skills to borrow things and create well and convince others of the originality of one’s creation). One can give the same material to ten people. Nine of these ten people may fail to figure out as to how to use it. But the tenth person will copy certain things from the same material, change some things and present it in such a way that the material would look original. Most of us are like that only. A large part of our learning a language or what constitutes culture is achieved by copying each other only.

So, I think it is not that important whether westerns inspired the people behind Sholay. The world of films is a stream which keeps giving and taking things from one storyteller to another. I think the important thing is the relevance of a story and its ability to connect with audiences. That is the heart of filmmaking.

Yes, I agree. The spirit of a film reflects the people associated with it. When directors are talented and young, they are not straightjacketed in their worldview. Whether you call it ignorance or confidence, the cowboy mentality that I can do it is always there. This also worked in the case of Sholay. My father and Salim-Javed were like a bunch of cowboys. Even the actors in the film had swagger. The way these people interacted with each other and conducted their lives off screen made them so interesting. It is reflected in the film. One does not see such kind of people today. That is why one does not see that spirit in today’s films.

I think there are so many memorable characters in the film. People even remember a small character like Samba who had very few dialogues. But I connect the most with Mr Bachchan’s character. One wants to be like the character. He is the coolest thing in the film. It is the most memorable and entertaining character in the film. I like his wit, the way he did his action and the whole emotional arc of the character. The character is very relatable to me.

It is bizarre to me how a small group of people make a subjective call. In hindsight, it looks ridiculous how such a big film got only one award especially when one considers the fact that the film has stood the test of time. Even after fifty years of its release, we are talking and discussing the film. It shows that the film was quite ahead of its time. It proves Wittgenstein's ruler theory which says a lot about the ruler than the thing which the ruler measures.

If I can go back in time, then I would like to release the uncensored version of the film. There is so much poetry in the way the uncensored version of the film ends. It deals with the idea of revenge in such an interesting manner. It makes the characters realize the futility and hollowness of revenge. In the uncensored version, after killing Gabbar, Thakur goes to Veeru, consoles him and says to him: ‘You lost your best friend. I killed Gabbar. I don’t know whether I have gained anything?’ I think if they had released this uncensored version, then the audiences would have loved the film even more. This is the original version of the film. This idea was used very well at the end of director Shriram Raghavan’s film Badlapur.

I think it will be fun to look at the film in a web series form. The central mythology of the film could be fun to play around. Yes, a long form storytelling based on the characters of the film will be an interesting thing to explore. One can dig deeper and create more out of the key characters.

I had previously worked with Applause Entertainment on some episodes of the Indian version of series The Office. I have long-standing relationships with Sameer Nair and Deepak Segal (producers of Criminal Justice series). In fact, Deepak was the editor of one of my grandfather’s films, Pathar Ke Phool. When I was approached to direct one of the seasons of Criminal Justice, it felt like a natural fit. The first two seasons were produced in the UK. The UK version introduces a new female lawyer character while here we chose to continue with the character Madhav Mishra. It made sense narratively.

Directing a series has been a different experience compared to films. Films typically require more holistic involvement from directors early on. But for a series much of the writing is done before a director's involvement. It is often shaped through discussions with a platform and then a shooting draft is finalized. Our input is focused and more contained compared to the broad scope a film director usually has in films.

One practice that has become a tradition across our projects is conducting table readings with all the actors and key crew members. This process allows everyone to hear the script aloud, which is valuable because television work is oral and visual rather than purely written like a book. Table readings clarify many aspects and generate new ideas. They offer actors insight into their characters' emotional journeys, especially because shooting is fragmented over long periods. I found this collaborative approach particularly effective.

Criminal Justice appealed to me partly because I have not explored the legal genre before. It presented an exciting challenge and an opportunity to discover new creative rules for me. I have directed three seasons. I have seen how the show has evolved into its own format centred on the character Madhav Mishra. The character Madhav Mishra anchors the narrative much like classic legal drama characters.

It has been a rewarding experience to revisit the series multiple times. Each season introduces fresh cases, which helps prevent the show from becoming stale. This mix of familiar characters and engaging new investigations keeps the series relevant to audiences. Overall, the whole journey has been quite gratifying for me.

I am working on a script. I have been approached by producers for a couple of scripts. But till something is locked, it is impossible to talk about it. But I am trying something in a lighter space.

These are the times of correction. One of the hallmarks of Hindi cinema used to be strong films featuring newcomers. Over the past several years, however, we seem to have moved away from that tradition. I am glad that Yash Raj has embraced it again, and I can already see the benefits. Hopefully, this approach will encourage many more filmmakers to follow suit. It shouldn’t be limited to a single genre either—the larger idea is to back projects with younger actors. After all, the audience largely remains young though we often forget that we have grown older.

Of course, this does not mean films must exclusively feature young actors. But it is important to invite them in and give them space. Saiyaara has done that very effectively, and I hope it sparks fresh excitement among producers and in the market to support such ventures. What is really needed now is new ways of thinking about how to make this happen. If this succeeds, then I hope to see many more such films by the end of the year.

I think the expression that sums up the present situation in the Hindi film industry is: Skin in the game. In the earlier time, you had to have skin in the game. A producer was liable. He would put his own cash and credibility on the line. So, in a sense, the risks got evened out. It is not that they weren't failures. A director also realized the risks a producer was taking. A producer knew that he would lose home or office if things go wrong.

Think about the time when Rajshri Productions’ Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! was released. At that time, only mass films were working. But they put everything at stake. They decided that they will not sell the film. They decided to release the film in 36 screens. It was a huge risk. If the film did not work, then they would have incurred losses. They were liable for everything. But it worked. Then, there are instances when producers made mistakes too many times and they knew they were not going to survive.

And this system of having a personal stake worked not just on producers’ level. It worked across the value chain of filmmaking: sub-distributor, distributor, sub-exhibitor and exhibitor. This is how the filmmaking system effectively ran. Today, among other things, this system must sustain for better scope and future of films.

In recent years, the biggest shift which has happened is the people who are authorizing films. They don't have a personal stake or skin in the game in the entire enterprise of filmmaking. They are working for a large studio. And that responsibility which producers and other entities in the value chain of filmmaking shouldered is diffused. So, in that sense, things have changed.

As Sholay celebrates 50 glorious years, Hema Malini, who played the iconic Basanti, looks back at the film that not only became a landmark in Indian cinema, but also changed her life forever. “We never thought that Sholay would become an iconic film. We never expected it at all. We thought it’s going to run for 25 weeks or 75 weeks. Those days, a film’s success was based on how many weeks it ran. But Sholay went beyond all that,” says Hema Malini, in a conversation with us.

Calling the film directed by Ramesh Sippy and written by the legendary duo Salim-Javed, a rare piece of cinema, Hema Malini adds, “So many films are made in a year. But nothing is like Sholay. It was a film made with full conviction. It had such beautiful dialogues and performances by every artiste. Even an actor with one dialogue made an impact – that speaks volumes about the screenplay. It touched the entire nation’s heart.”

Sholay, often regarded as one of the most influential Indian films of all time starred Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, Amjad Khan and Sanjeev Kumar in pivotal roles. Five decades later, her association with Sholay remains fresh across the globe. “Even today, when I travel to places like Georgia or Russia, people remember me as Basanti. A time came when my name almost became Basanti. People recognised me as Basanti,” she laughs.

On working with Dharmendra, she says, “We were already doing many films together. I must say, Dharamji’s role was definitely designed by the writers and director, but he added so much to it. He would say, ‘I’ll do this, I’ll do it like that.’ He made Veeru his own.”

Recalling memorable moments from the shoot, she recalls, “The railway station sequence was difficult to shoot. Basanti is taking Jai and Veeru from the station to the village, and she keeps talking. That was a sweet and interesting scene.”

Talking about what drew her to the part, she says, “I did not think Basanti would become so iconic, however, I did think it was very different as the character provides comic relief, but also had a strong sense of loyalty and love, especially in her relationship with Veeru. I was doing Seeta Aur Geeta then, which was a big hit. When I was offered this role in Sholay, I thought it was very small. But I agreed to do it because of the association with the director and producer.”

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It was my very first day on the Sholay set. I was thrilled. I knew it was a massive film. My first scene was supposed to be the one where my character Ahmed’s dead body is brought into the village on horseback. It’s a dramatic, emotional moment.

There were two shots. One wide shot from a distance as the horse enters, and a closer shot of my body on the horse’s back. I was 16 years old and couldn’t wait to begin. But to my surprise, both those shots were done using a body double. I was a little taken aback, even disappointed since I was so eager to do my first shot.

I remember asking Ramesh-ji (Sippy) about it, and he said something I have never forgotten: “Sachin, you are an actor. You have been acting for years. These shots are for a double. You are not supposed to do them.”

That’s when I suddenly felt important. Validated. Of course, the later shot where my body is picked up by Dharam-ji (Dharmendra) and Amit-ji (Amitabh Bachchan) had to be me. During that scene, Amit-ji whispered something to me that I always remember. He said, “Sachin, zara body loose rakhna… It will be easier for us to pick you up and put you down.”

It was a small but thoughtful advice. I understood that if I kept my body stiff, it would be harder for them. It was one of those little moments that taught me that even as a ‘dead body’, you need to act right.

Now, here’s the fun part. That scene involved big actors but none of us — Dharam-ji, Amit-ji, Hema-ji, or me — had any dialogue in it. And I obviously couldn’t speak because I was supposed to be dead! So all we could do was observe.

I was the youngest on set and very sincere. So every time my shot came, I would hold my breath. Nobody asked me to. I just did it on my own. And when Ramesh-ji would call “Cut!”, I would let out a huge breath — like a burst — and the whole set would erupt in laughter. Every single time.

The first one to laugh would always be Sanjeev Kumar. And then the rest of the cast and crew would join in. It became a bit of a ritual, everyone waiting for my dramatic exhale and the laughter growing after every shot!

Looking back, that was my first experience of Sholay… lying breathless, surrounded by legends, and still managing to make them laugh.

Not many people know this, but I refused to accept payment for my role in Sholay. My relationship with Ramesh-ji has always been that of a student and guru. Even now, on Guru Purnima, I message him to seek his blessings. That bond means more than money ever could.

So, instead of a fee, Ramesh-ji gifted me something special… my first-ever air conditioner. It was from a company called Fedders-Lloyd. Sleeping in AC was a luxury back then and from 1975 till today, I haven’t been able to sleep without an AC, a habit I owe to Sholay!

Before Sholay, I was already doing stunts in Gujarati films — jumping off rooftops, rolling down hills, whatever the scene demanded. One afternoon, on an outdoor shoot, a call came for me at the studio watchman’s post. It was from my Guruji, Azim Bhai, who had introduced me to this line of work. He said Ramesh Sippy’s team was hunting for a stuntwoman for a big project and asked me to get in touch with the stunt director.

They had already auditioned women who could ride horses and were trained in action. But they hadn’t found what they were looking for.

I called from a neighbour’s phone. They asked me to meet them as soon as I was back in Bombay. I called and was asked to reach a Juhu hotel by 5.30 the next morning. There was a large open area, and the team, including Ramesh-ji (Sippy), was sitting there. They asked me to drive a tonga.

I forgot I was supposed to drive just a little and stop. I went quite far before turning around. When I returned and stopped in front of them, they all stood up and clapped. They asked, ‘Why did you go so far?’ I told them it had been a while since I rode on such a long open stretch. That was it, I was selected.

Later, I was taken to Ramesh-ji’s office for fittings. They took my measurements for bangles and wigs. Even then, I didn’t know whose body double I was going to be. Back then, stunt people weren’t told much, we just did the work. Two days later, I got a call at the ration shop near my house. They told me to be at the airport the next morning. I packed and left.

We went to Bangalore. The first shot they took was of Hema-ji (Malini) sitting by the water and seeing her reflection and then four dacoits approach. She sees them and takes off in the tonga. That whole chase scene was me. I jumped onto the tonga from behind and rode off. Later, they filmed Hema-ji’s close-ups. But the running tonga was all me.

I was on that shoot for 22 days. One unforgettable incident happened during the Holi scene, when Gabbar’s men attack the village. A little girl runs during the chaos. I was supposed to rescue her by running through the horses. As I ran towards her, she suddenly fell. The horses were right behind us. I didn’t have time to think. I grabbed her mid-fall, rolled on the ground to shield her, and ran through the horses with her in my arms. She didn’t get a scratch. I was badly bruised.

People clapped after that shot. Even Dharmendra-ji came up to me and gave me Rs. 100 as a token of appreciation. That was a big amount then. Our daily wage was just Rs. 175, so I hesitated to take it. I was always nervous about men offering money. But my Guruji signalled to me to accept it, so I did.

Then came the dangerous tonga scene. Hema-ji’s tonga hits a rock, one wheel breaks, the tonga topples. It’s me in that scene. Originally, the broken wheel was supposed to be a fake wooden one that would break easily. But the second wheel was accidentally replaced with a real metal one. When the tonga hit the rock, it didn’t break but dragged. I was thrown off and the tonga overturned. That was a real accident and I was injured. But those two scenes really stayed with people. I even received awards, seven in total.

On the sets, Hema-ji always treated me with respect. If she was sitting, she would ask for a chair for me to sit. Our body types matched so well, if I wore her makeup and stood sideways, you couldn’t tell the difference. Same with Sridevi-ji, Rekha-ji. I matched them naturally.

Sholay was the turning point in my career. Back then, things were difficult. Only boys did stunts. People would say, ‘You are so beautiful. Why are you doing this? If you get a scar on your face or break a bone, who will marry you?’ But marriage wasn’t my priority. We had fallen on hard times. I had to feed my family.

After Sholay, people realized I could drive a tonga and handle daring action. The film gave me recognition and credibility. I became a go-to stuntwoman for all kinds of scenes.

Eventually, I bought a house, got my siblings married and fulfilled every responsibility that had once felt impossible. And then, life came full circle. In 2019, a biopic on my journey was made. It was called The Sholay Girl.

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has referred a dispute between Bollywood film director Ramesh Sippy and his nephews and other family members over a south Mumbai property among other issues for mediation. The Sippys agreed to mediation by former HC judge, Justice S J Kathawalla.

A division bench of Justices B P Colabawalla and F P Pooniwalla, in its order on Monday, requested the mediator to file his report in court within four weeks. If the mediator requires further time, the parties are free to seek an extension. "If for any reason the mediation fails, this court will then consider" other reliefs sought by the Sippys, the HC said and posted the matter to Feb 14 for directions.

Ramesh and his nephew Sunhil Ajit Sippy, along with 12 others, were at loggerheads following the demise of his father, film producer G P Sippy.

On Monday, the HC recorded that both sides have come to a pro-tem agreement, including that Shaan and Sameer Uttamsingh, grandchildren of G P Sippy, would not part with possession, sell, or create any third-party right in a residential property at Altamount Road. Ramesh, who filed an appeal against an order in a suit that he filed for the administration of his late mother's estate, also agreed not to part with a flat in the same building on the same floor. The flat has two parts, with share certificates of each half in different names, one in Ramesh's name and the other in the names of Shaan and Sameer. The flat, however, is one single unit, the HC noted.

The parties agreed that Shaan and Sameer can renovate the entire flat without changing its layout. They cannot carry out any structural changes without court permission.

On Jan 6, the HC adjourned Ramesh's appeal to allow both sides to consider mediation as an option. The HC heard counsel Shanay Shah and solicitor B Munim & Co for Ramesh, and Archit Jayakar with Jayakar and Partners for the grandchildren of G P Sippy.

How would one define Arbaaz Khan’s chat show, The Invincibles? He views it as an oral history of legendary Hindi films and their making. Its inception was driven by the actor-producer’s concern that if such stories are not documented, they will be lost.

“The inspiration came from my father [Salim Khan]. He is 85, and so many of his stories need to be shared. The industry can learn so much from them. It’s easy to know about hits and flops, but you need to know what drives people. A lot of their stories are also how they navigated their personal lives, which reflected in their work. I did the pilot episode with my father, and then used it to convince Helen aunty, Waheeda-ji [Rehman] and others,” he states.

While the first season kicked off in 2023, the second edition opened in July with Shabana Azmi. In the course of the season, he will interview Ramesh Sippy, Subhash Ghai and many more. Khan says there is a passionate team helping him pull off a show that goes beyond “getting a headline”; instead, the idea is to understand the person and their process.

“We go into a lot of research on what we should ask. Even if it is personal, it isn’t frivolous. For instance, we asked Shabana-ji how she dealt with her husband’s [Javed Akhtar] alcoholism. I sift through the material, choosing what I like and introducing some questions. While I am doing it, I sense what we can go further into, it’s largely spontaneous. In every episode, I discover things I had no idea about. Seniors have pearls of wisdom that you cannot have enough of.”

As the host, Khan believes The Invincibles fills the gap in chat shows in India. “From comments, I [can gauge] the show is going to the youth, who don’t know these stalwarts. India has a major gap in late night chat shows, something like what Jimmy Kimmel does [in the US]. We need to create chat shows that go beyond the surface and hold conversations that stay in public memory. I’m not looking for controversy. If someone has said something that’s political or religious, we are careful. But at the same time, we don’t sanitize these interviews; they are insightful.”

Sachin shares that the team celebrated Reema Lagoo’s birthday on the sets of Tu Tu Main Main, “just a week after we started shooting for the show”

Reema Lagoo’s role was also offered to Farida Jalal and Aruna Irani. “Reema was my first choice, as she had only done serious roles till then. She was also my childhood friend and she told me that she wanted to do comedy only with me, as I have a very different sense of humour with a lot of emotional undercurrent. When we approached Farida ji, unfortunately she and her mother underestimated this idea. Aruna ji was too busy producing and directing, and then we approached Reema and she was happy to come on board. On June 16, we started shooting and on June 21 was her birthday, so we celebrated it on the set. These two women, who were not seen by the Indian audience so much – Reema was known for playing Salman Khan’s mother and Supriya was not known much outside Maharashtra – became a household name within a few days,” shares Sachin.

For as long as one can remember, Amitabh Bachchan has adorned the big and small screens around us. Whether he’s the angry young man, the revenge-seeking common man, the disciplinarian father, the army officer, the lovable father who is as vocal about his motions as his emotions, or the cool and affable TV show host — there’s no role that the actor hasn’t played with utmost ease and relatability. One might fall short of words to describe the phenomenon that is Amitabh Bachchan, but he never falls short of impressing his audience with one solid act after another.

On his 80th birthday, filmmakers from different time zones in his life talk about what truly makes him the BIG B!

My introduction to Amitabh Bachchan was his performance in N C Sippy and Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Anand. One immediately noticed him, despite the towering presence of the nation’s then heartthrob, Rajesh Khanna. There was something so honest about him that he drew your attention, effortlessly. You couldn’t miss that he was a natural at what he did. Then, I saw Mehmood’s Bombay To Goa where he was the complete opposite of his character in Anand. When Salim-Javed suggested his name for Jay in Sholay, my attention was immediately drawn to the memory of these two films and his roles in them. 

He was almost the last one to be cast in Sholay. I didn’t want a big star; I had plenty already and handling so many people is a task, but when I heard Javed Akhtar talking about his work in Zanjeer, I decided to cast him. The industry had almost cast him out at that time; as he had a few failures behind him. But I think I was lucky to have nabbed him at the right time.

Sholay started our association. His role in Sholay was also not one that needed overplay. It was boisterous in parts. Of course, after his huge success, he became a one-man show who could do anything and everything so well. It became more and more difficult to capture him in something less. Zanjeer, Deewaar and Sholay just ensured there was no looking back for him. And his legendary run was not something anyone could have pre-empted; no one had thought, and no one could have

guessed he will rule this industry for 50 years. I am no exception to that.

Amitabh continued to grow. How tall can a man grow? Amitabh beats all descriptions and measures of success. The credit for that goes entirely to him. I was fortunate to have been on the National Awards jury twice, in 2010-11 and 2016. His performance in Paa was so incredible and totally different from what one expects of him. I had to give it to him. It was outstanding and rare. He won another one for Piku where his role as Bhashkor Bannerjee was so brilliant. Of course, the directors in both cases are fantastic, too. So, over years, you may keep feeling what’s left for him to do, and there is always going to be something more. There is no end to Amitabh Bachchan. He is forever!

I thought of a film for Amit ji when I made Cheeni Kum. I cast the story for him. It was the other way around. It wasn’t an older man falling in love with a younger woman. It was a story that wouldn’t work without Amitabh Bachchan and Tabu. He’s not an old man; he’s Amitabh Bachchan.

He comes packaged with his trademark sarcasm, wit and poker-faced rudeness — that’s just a perfect blend. My equation with Mr Bachchan has been exactly the same from day one till now. Even today, if I have an idea, I message him and if he likes it, I write it out for him. I love the mystique and enigma that he is, and I don’t want that shattered. I don’t want to analyze it. Being nervous around him just breaks that enigma. So, I have never been nervous in front of him and he, too, has made me so comfortable. He is an aspiration for everyone, and my relationship with him is that of a huge fan and a person who is aware of what I like about him.

It’s surreal that I have worked with him. I remember when we were making Paa, we both were convinced about the film. Abhishek and Vidya needed convincing. Even when Mr Bachchan says the deepest of things, he has still eyes and a still face which is the power of a great actor. People don’t often understand that when you act, you don’t have to make it loud and evident. Mr Bachchan doesn’t, and that’s his superpower!

Over the years, I’ve worked with Mr Bachchan at different levels. The first time I had a chance to watch him up close was when I gate-crashed his ad shoot (made by my then company). I wasn’t part of the process then, but I have been such a fan since childhood that I couldn’t resist being on that set and silently observing him. I came home so happy that day. Then came the Kaun Banega Crorepati campaign where I interacted with him one-on-one. I usually don’t get nervous, but I was meeting my childhood hero and working with him was something else.

Over the years, I worked with him very closely and got to know him more closely. In my movie Bhoothnath Returns, he was the central character. Today, I can say that our relationship is a bit more than professional. His values are intact, and they will remain so. They’re in his DNA. His punctuality, discipline, hard work and dedication are unmatched. As an artiste, you know how big he is and yet, he is willing to understand and give his best for your vision.

Describing Amit ji as an actor is like sooraj ko deepak dikhana. Words will always fall short. In my opinion and understanding of him, he’s a better human being than an actor. He’s par excellence in his field but he’s a far, far nicer human being. He respects everyone’s time. That’s the reason he’s never late. Waqt aur insaan dono ki kadar hai unko. He never wants anyone to bear losses. And with him in the team, people automatically fall in line. Koi kitna bhi experienced ya naya ho, he treats everyone like his teachers. He listens intently and tries every possible method to give the director what he’s looking for. He has no ego and no hassles.

Whenever he enters a set, he has that little naughty smile and he jokes around and has fun with everyone. We filmed Khakee and Family together. We had shot Power for seven days and then I regret not being able to complete it. But anyone who has worked with Amitabh Bachchan will agree that he’s like an addiction, he just spoils you for life. If you don’t work with him, you feel something is just missing. But working with him is also a responsibility; as you have to justify his presence in a movie. On his 80th birthday, I just wish he continues his run till beyond 100 years.

From adorning the walls of cinema halls, film posters have over the decades begun to occupy a place of pride in the homes, offices and private spaces of cinema patrons. While buying poster art of the bygone era is not entirely new, the trend has caught on in a big way, owing to availability and exposure the new generation has to the cinema of yore through digital platforms. While the new age, digitised film posters with airbrushed images ofstars are slick and stylishly designed, the hand-painted posters of the past, with dramatic brush strokes and vibrant colours screaming out loud from the walls they were plastered on, are sorely missed. Now with movies making their way back into cinema halls, BT takes a closer look at the art of film posters and how it continues to be an important part in the journey of a film.

Manoj Desai, one of the oldest names in the film exhibition business, who has spent 50 years running Maratha Mandir and the G7 Single Screens says, “I had never seen a phase like the last two years in my 50-year career when we practically didn’t have posters adorning the outer walls of the theatres. My theatre had opened with Hema Malini’s Seeta Aur Geeta and it bounced back to life with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi. In these five decades, what hasn’t changed is the audience’s love for a great film — something that its poster promises them in one visual. Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan or Ajay Devgn, standing with a gun in one hand and his heroine on the side, signifies an action-packed love story even today. It’s the photographic synopsis of a film that attracts the audience even in these times.”

Back in the day, film posters were not designed digitally. Right up to the 1990s, the posters were hand-painted and artistically designed by a rare breed of technicians. M F Husain, in his early years had also designed several movie posters. While current film posters can be accessed at the click of a button, the posters of yesteryear’s cinema have achieved the status of vintage art, especially the hand-painted ones. There are special collectors and restoration teams to keep them in good condition.

In the last two decades, posters of old films with kitschy artwork, loud colours and over-the-top drama have found a place of pride in the homes of thousands of people around the world, including Shah Rukh Khan who reportedly got an original Mughal-E-Azam poster through an online auction, which was later signed by Dilip Kumar. It rests, beautifully framed at his residence, Mannat.

Hinesh Jethwani of Indian Hippy has been working hard since 2009 to ensure that vintage posters of films are restored, shares, “With the overall art market taking a hit, even the poster market saw a slight slump in sales. However, with most of the businesses moving online, we gradually started experiencing a surge in demand for posters, not just from Indian buyers but also from abroad. This was during the first lockdown. What is sad in all of this is that the generation of painters who created these pieces of art are passing away, without anyone taking the baton from them. Studying this art form takes four to five years — these painters were self-taught, and they used rudimentary techniques which are not taught in art schools. These painters captured the raw emotions of the films from their stills and created these visual treats which have become part of memorabilia today. Today, in the name of a poster what you see is an airbrushed image of a star. The rawness is missing. 100 years down the line, people may not have any reference to the art of creating these hand-painted posters, unless someone steps up and takes the baton forward.”

Filmmaker Ramesh Sippy, whose posters of Seeta Aur Geeta and Sholay are among those that are perpetually in demand, believes that with evolving time and changing technology, poster art will survive, albeit in a different form.

He reasons, “Posters played an important role in the journey of a film and they still do. The digital era cannot be ignored. Those days, there was a poster between a film and its audience, but today there’s a lot more in between. Back in the day, it was so important to sit with the painters and create a visual communication using the characters of the film. Like Sholay’s poster evolved from the time it was in the offing to the time it became a hit. Posters were the promise of a story that a film bore for its audience. They were hand-made then; they’re technologically made now. Styles of pursuing an art can always change but posters continue to be art.”

Mumbai’s Chor Bazaar, even in its redevelopment phase, continues to harbour shops that sell vintage posters. Business may not have been as good as it was once upon a time, but the motivation to keep the shops running is admirable and visible in the way the stores have kept the posters in great shape.

Haji Abu, who possesses over three million Hindi and English vintage film posters, arguably one of the largest collections in the country, has a shop inside Mumbai’s Chor Bazaar, which dates back decades. He says, “Films have been made for more than a hundred years now. A poster is always made with each film. The stars of that era actually command a high market value in the poster business. Posters are also sold for the artistic value they carry. Posters of C-grade films are sold for high prices because they look funky and quirky. ”

Rahul Nanda, who is a campaign designer for some of Bollywood’s biggest films, says that creating posters through digital technology has taken over the hand-painted posters of the bygone era. The impact a poster creates for film promotion is just the same even today. He adds, “A poster is the first piece about a film that people react to. Poster art has evolved with the evolution of content. If a movie is brave, the poster will reflect that. Unlike the past decades, a lot of the poster work is digital and downloadable today, which makes this art more accessible to film patrons.”

- Amitabh Bachchan

- Dev Anand

- Raj Kapoor

- Dilip Kumar