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This movie is just one of the best Hindi movie i have seen. Its one of my favorite film. It has all the elements that a good Hindi movie must have. The settings of the hilly mountainous village, the dusty n tough terrain, the train sequence n the villain Gabbar played menacingly by Amjad Khan, were all awesome. Such is the impact of the villains acting is that u always remember him by his character's name frm the movie. One of the movies you remember for life. Amitabh Bachan and Dharmendra were awesome too. The character of Hema malini was cheesy n unbelieavable though. A woman riding a horse chariot that too in the cow belt area wher rape is rampant. Nevertheles the film is solid entertainment. It is a story of friendship, courage and revenge, based loosely around the concepts of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai & The Magnificent Seven with shades of Once uopn a time in the west. A true cinematic masterpiece.

If you liked "Once upon a time in the west", "The magnificent seven" and "A fistful of dollars", you will love "Sholay". It takes all the good ingredients of a western, spices it with a lot of Indian ingredients and lets it simmer until you get one of the finest "curry" westerns imaginable. Though obviously very much inspired by the "spaghetti" westerns of the late 1960s/early 1970s, this easily surpasses most of the films it's modeled after. A masterpiece.

Can't find a single flaw in the movie. Probably one of the best ever made in Hindi. The camera work is flawless and grips you. The acting is inspired. The music is memorable. One of the movies you remember for life.

As a strong fan of the American Western genre and of course the directing of Sergio Leone, it is with great enthusiasm that i recommend Sholay to any audiences or fans of Westerns and Bollywood cinema.

Perhaps, the greatest film in the history of Bollywood cinema (with one of the longest theatrical runs in Bollywood history), this is the definitive Bollywood action epic movie in the same way that Leone's 'The Good, The Bad & The Ugly' was the definitive Western.

The film features the acting talents of such Bollywood legends...Amitabh Bachan and Dharmendra and focuses at its heart, a story of friendship, courage and revenge, based loosely around the concepts of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai & The Magnificent Seven.

If you have not watched it, then make it your priority to watch it at least once in your life, as this is definitely one of the movies that every person needs to experience.

A true cinematic masterpiece.

Sholay review :

15th August 1975. The day Ramesh Sippy's magnum opus Sholay released at the Minerva cinema, Mumbai.

Undoubtedly, this film doesn't need a review. We all know Sholay and we all love Sholay. It is a benchmark in Indian cinema and each one of us has his own story to tell about the classic. From seeing it more than 50 times to purchasing ticket in black for an obscene amount or memorising every dialogue, personal stories around the legendary film abound.

I first experienced the Sholay phenomenon in the year 1985 during Diwali time when I visited my paternal grandparents place at Mahim. The society had hired a huge screen and projector to film it in its premise. The euphoria at the time of screening with loud ceetes and people mouthing dialogues along with the characters and dancing during the songs is a moment I will never forget ever.

I have seen the movie multiple times later on VHS (during video cassette era) and on DVD. It is a regular on satellite channels also where I still catch it whenever possible.

Recently in 2014, the film re-released in 3D format and I took my family to watch it. That was actually my first theatrical viewing of Sholay. I have preserved its ticket stub to show my future generation that I was amongst that lucky generation which got to see Sholay in theatres.

One unfulfilled wish in my life is not able to watch Sholay at the iconic Minerva cinema in Mumbai where it ran continuously for 5 years from 1975 to 1980. The film enjoyed multiple re-runs in this iconic theatre right till 2004.

Infact, I had almost made it when Sholay re- released at the Minerva in 2004. The theatre was playing Sholay in matinee and 'Kyun Ho Gaya Na' for regular 3 shows. When I reached the theatre for the matinee show, it was housefull and I didnt get the tickets for Sholay (The black ticket rates were too exorbitant for me). Surprisingly, a new release like 'Kyun Ho Gaya Na' was playing to empty seats while Sholay was sold out for the entire week. I returned home disappointed. Will always envy those fortunate who watched Sholay at Minerva!

Movies will come and go....but Sholay is immortal.

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni

Sholay is an action movie directed by Ramesh Sippy and stars Dharmendra, Late Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Late Amjad Khan, Late Satyen Kappu, Late A.K. Hangal and Late Mac Mohan. Asrani, Late Keshto Mukherjee, Late Viju Khote, Late Leela Mishra, Late Iftekhar, Late Jalal Agha and Helen were in supporting but pivotal roles.

Before going down kindly be informed that this is not a review. It's a feeling expressed by a fan. I am in no capacity to review this masterpiece.

The movie itself is a brand and still carries the same charm when it was released. The movie has lots of stories and trivia behind it such as casting of Amjad Khan in place of Danny. Slow pace of the movie in the initial week of it's release and so on and I think every movie buff must have read, heard or read about it.

The movie is known for the best execution of a predictable plot with a seasoning of comedy and emotion. All most all the characters of the movie is a legend in fact the side characters are also immortal now be it 'Mausi', 'Angrezo ke zamane ke jailer', 'Soorma Bhopali', 'Kalia'or 'Sambha'.

Probably this is the only movie who might have given birth to lots of parodies and those parodies are still in making.

The mesmerising songs which suits every occasion such as beautiful 'Holi' song, the song representing the eternal bond of friendship or to please your love interest, and yes the dialogues which we all would have copied in all the funnier situations like 'Itna sannata kyun hai bhai', 'kitne aadmi the' and so on

With immortal characters and dialogues Sholay is a classic which can't be created and in fact will never be created.

I am shocked seeing that the IMDb ratings for this classic is just 6.6. Why? Because the movie is strongly influenced from the Westerns? or It it isn't entertaining enough?

The 2nd cant be true because the movie had everything: strong script strong direction excellent characters and performances good action,comedy,romance,friendship,etc

If the 1st is true then i feel sorry for the viewers because being influenced is not being copied.Besides there would remain only like 50-60 original scripts if counted correctly.

I cannot find a single flaw in the movie which is my personal thinking and as it would be of true Hindi cinema fans.

So people please judge the movie on its merits and not on something which is totally baseless.

RATING:- *****/*****

"Kitne Aadmi Thei", every Indian film fan knows this dialog by heart. Sholay was released in 1975, also the year I was born in, coincidence, perhaps. The film became the longest running Indian film in the theaters, a record that stood for over 25 years until it was broken recently by another classic "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" (holds the current record 500 Weeks and still going - as on May 07, 2005).

Sholay was written by the great Duo of Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan know as Salim-Javed. The duo also gave us films like Don, Shakti, Shaan, Zanjeer, Seeta Aur Geeta and Deewar. The film was directed by Ramesh Sippy and had music of legendary R.D. Burman. Sholay gave us a Character called "Gabbar Singh" played by Amjad Khan, who made his debut with this film. The character of Gabbar Singh is so creative that many film makers have tried to imitate him for their films.

Sholay did for Indian Cinema what Casablanca did for Hollywood. It became an instant classic and broke all the rules of film making and characterization, while preserving the values of Indian cinema.

Sholay just won the Filmfare Award (2005) for being the Best Film in the last 50 years of Indian Cinema. Sadly, when Sholay was first released in 1975 it didn't win any major Filmfare awards. But when you think about all the great films that were released in that year, its easy to see how it may have been over looked. 1975 may have been the best year for Hindi films with the likes of Deewar, Chupke Chupke, Hera Pheri, Khel Khel Mein, Julie, Mausam, Ponga Pandit, Rafoo Chakkar, Uljhan, Dharmatma, Do Jasoos, Faraar, Geet Gaata Chal, Chhoti Si Baat, Aandhi and Milli - all releasing along with Sholay.

Sholay had the biggest star cast of its time with the likes of Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri, Sanjeev Kumar, Sachin, A.K. Hangal, Leela Mishra, Satyen Kappu, Mac Mohan, Jagdeep, Asrani, Helen, Jalal Agha, Iftekhar, Keshto Mukherjee and of course Amjad Khan. The Greatest Cast Ever Assembled for the Greatest Story Ever Told!

Everybody knows this is the Best Bollywood film ever made. I am surprised that this films rating in IMDb is not 10 /10 that it deserves. If you ask any Bollywood genius about this movie, they will tell you its the Best film of all time. Its no. 1 in the top 100 Best Bollywood Movies Stardust magazine. This movie had all the elements to make a great movie. Great Acting, Great Dialouges, Great music, Violence, comedy, Romance, Emotions and Relationships (Friendship). It stars Bollywood's Greatest ever actor Amitabh Bchchan in a Powerhouse performance. Dharmendra in his Best film that I've seen. Hema Malini is fantastic as the in famous fast talking Basanti. Jaya Bachchan is superb as the quiet widow. Amjad Khan steals the show as the legendary famous Villain Gabbar Singh. The other cast have done a decent job. This is the Greates Film Bollywood have released. Fullstop.

No1 Movie af all time in India. The character of each and every one is fabulous and mind-blowing.

Review By Kamal K

Sholay is one of the best Indian film ever made. Every cast fits the role to perfection be it Amitabh Bacchan as Jai or Dharmendra as Virru or Asrani as the hilarious cop or..... The list is never ending. A movie worth watching 100 times with some great music stuff from R. D. Burman. Action Scenes are the best ever made in Indian History. The climax was wonderful. The late legendary actor Amjad Khan as notorious Dacoit Gabbar Singh is Phenomenal, Menacing and Excellent. Hema Malini and Jaya Bacchan acted really very well. Sanjeev Kumar as Thakur Baldev Singh was the second reason for the film'es stupendous success. Asrani and Jagdeep were really humourous. Their jokes are remembered until today. R. D. Burman gives great music to the film. This is the greatest movie ever made.

Ramesh Sippy's 'Sholay' is Amongst The Great Cinematic Moments in The History of Film. An Outstanding Motion-Picture, that oozes perfection & flamboyance. A True Masterpiece, that re-defined Hindi Cinema!

'Sholay' Synopsis: After his family is murdered by a notorious and ruthless bandit, a former police officer enlists the services of two outlaws to capture him.

'Sholay' is an Outstanding Motion-Picture. I've seen this Masterstroke a number of times & I can't get enough of it. Salim-Javed's Screenplay is a Milestone. The Script is Super-Strong, The Characters are Mesmerizing & The Narrative is Magnificent. The film runs for a 190-Minutes, but not a single moment does the momentum come down. In fact, the film gets bigger & grander with each passing scene. Ramesh Sippy's Direction is Fantastic. He executes this unforgettable story, with magnetic ease. Cinematography is fabulous. Editing is razor-sharp. Music by R. D. Burman, is legendary.

Performance-Wise: Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh, delivers an astonishing performance. He makes Gabbar, the most despicable villain you'd ever see on the big screen. Sanjeev Kumar as Thakur, is flawless, as always. Amitabh Bachchan as Jai & Dharmendra as Veeru, are heroic & extremely competent. Hema Malini as Basanti, is lovable. Jaya Bachchan as Radha, is graceful. Viju Khote as Kaalia & Mac Mohan as Sambha, are excellent. Jagdeep as Soorma Bhopali & Asrani as a Jailer, are hilarious. A.K. Hangal as Imam, Sachin as Ahmed & Satyen Kappu as Ramlaal, are good.

On the whole, 'Sholay' is a Masterpiece. Its Simply Too Damn Good!

I didn't think much of Sholay till I actually saw it. I can understand why it's so famous.

First of all...the acting! Ah! Just wonderful.

Dharmendra plays the hero, who is basically comical...even while he's getting arrested. I mean, his jokes are just hilarious! And those funny faces he makes! I couldn't stop laughing!

Then there's his best friend, who is played by Amitabh. Though Amitabh is not as goofy as his friend, he is funny. He makes all sarcastic comments and you can see why he shot into superstardom with his performance.

Though I never thought Hema Malini was a good actress...trust me, in this movie she is sooooo funny. The girl just can't stop talking! The scenes with Dharmendra and her are really funny.

Then of course there's Jaya Bhaduri, who is more of the depressed type, and her and Amitabh fall in love just by sharing glances, it's awfully cute. Her gloomy look is very effective.

Let's not forget Sanjeev Kumar, a good strong performance. He makes a dark voice that really adds effect on his character. At first he seems heartless, but later you realize that he does really care.

The only performance that was not so good was Amjad Khan's, though many liked it. His stupid accent was not very enjoyable and it seemed like he was trying to get bhojpuri into his dialect when he shouldn't have been.

So there are cons in this movie...the violence is not very good. I mean, I enjoy fist fights, but there's only one in this movie and the rest in like gun shots...which I think is boring. The music could've been much better. The only good songs are "Haan Jab Tak" and the other one that's okay was "Holi Ke Din". I think if Ramesh Sippy had taken someone like Laxmikant Pyarelal, the music would've been much much better.

The beginning is really funny, Asrani as the overacting jailor is hilarious. The movie is very touching at the end though, very sad I'll have to say. Even though I'm telling you all the cons in the movie, I'm not saying that you shouldn't watch it...because you should! After watching this movie Dharmendra and Amitabh have become my favorite actors. It's a great movie, even though I have some stuff against it, because of the comedy and performances...I'll have to give it a ten out of ten.

This is best ever made Indian movie. Having everything starting with comedy to ending with thrill. It covers all areas. It deserves to be called as the best movie in Hindi cinema. Nothing could be as great as this. Just go on and watch it. Don't watch just once. Watch watch and keep watching in every few months. Nice story with nice direction, nice acting by each character. Everything in just one movie. I comment could be best movie ever seen.What more you want to read. I feel this is sufficient. Just don't delay any more. Go for movie. Watch acting by amitabh, darmendra, angrejo ke jamane ka jailer and basanti. See the beauty of the dialogs. Gabar is the best part of the movie, Keeping you alive to watch a good fight.

Sholay is one of those movies, the kind that you watch when no one else is around, so that you can laugh and get choked up without any one watching. The friendship between Dharmendra and Amithab was excellently put on film, the journeys between the two are remeniscent of the adventures of Butch Cassidy and Sundance. I would definetly recommend this film, as it is a cornerstone of early Hindi blockbusters, and definetly worth watching.

Sholay is the ultimate movie, it has all emotions, action, comedy & romance. This is the only movie in which none of the big stars outshine the other, Sanjeev, Dharam, Amitabh, Hema, Jaya & Amjad. All excelled in their roles. People call it a western remake but the original had almost no emotions, no comedy, just a bland movie. Sholay cannot be compared to low films like DDLJ which had nothing properly made, there are 100s of Hindi movies which outclass DDLJ in every era.

Sholay's dialogues are still being told by the masses, it is the ultimate cult movie. The only black spot in the movie is Asrani's (otherwise my favourite comedian) he plays a British period jailer, his comedy looks sick. Jagdeep was well limited with a small role otherwise he would have destroyed all the good work, I wonder when he acted well in which movie? Amitabh's timely comments & his conversation with Hema's mausi was superb. Amitabh fills the comedian's role superbly.

A must watch for all movie goers from all over the world, this proves the old Hindi movies were 1000s of times better than all the new age khans combined movies.

P.S. Do not ever remake this Diamond Movie

Lets accept the fact, even some great movies have their own flaws but that does not means that they are not great films. Sholay is the most profitable and biggest hit in Indian Cinema. It wont be an understatement if I say that Indian Cinema can be divided into time before Sholay and time after Sholay. Indian movies are basically protagonist based and rest of the characters are build around it but Sholay was different. Every character in the movie had its own life and its own fun. You come out of the hall even praising the antagonist or a very minor character like Surma bhopali whose screen presence was not more than 3 minutes. The film is a mass entertainer with all the elements of screen writing that are required in a hit film in abundance. Legends like Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Amjad Khan(who was not a star then) and other actors like A.K.Hangal, Jagdeep, Asrani, Keshto Mukherji left their marks on whatever role was given to them. Some say that the story is been lifted from Seven Samurai's and Magnificent seven but it doesn't matter because when you will watch the movie you will find the treatment to be totally Indian as only the basic plot is taken from those movies which for me is not a crime. Coming this movie from master writer duo of Salim-Javed and hands of Director Ramesh Sippy, you just can't afford to miss this entertainer. Watch this because in India if you don't know Amitabh Bachchan or have watched Sholay then you have no right to call yourself Indian or visit India or talk about India. Watch Sholay and get the license.

In my opinion the best Hindi film ever made. Everything is top notch, the theme tune, songs,dialogues, the casting and so much more. This is the highest grossing action movie ever, most classics such as KKHH AND DDLJ were love stories. Sholay was inspired by the Hollywood hit The Magnificent Seven which in turn was a remake of the Kurosawa masterpiece The Seven Samurai but in my opinion Sholay is just so so much better In my opinion Sholay is a mix of genres, there is action,romance comedy etc. Another remarkable quality is the characterizations, The characters are just so well thought out. There was the vengeful Thakur (played by the superb Sanjeev Kumar), Jai and Veeru( Amitabh and Dharmendra) Basanti (Hema Malini) and last and certainly not least Amjad Khan as the tyrant Gabbar. His entry sequence is one of the best and well known in Bollywood history. Gabbar set the standard for Bollywood villains, especially in the scene when he cuts off Thakur's arms. His dialogues are often repeated especially Kitne Aadmi thee.

Most people claim this is just a revenge movie but its much more than that, Sholay is also a tale of redemption. Jai and Veeru at the start are no for nothing crooks but during the movie they start to change. For instance when they first turn up at Thakur's house they plan to rob him and flee but later on during the movie they return his money and say that they will get Gabbar for nothing. They even decide to stop their evil ways and start making a living farming like the villagers.

Sholay is also a tale of friendship, probably the best ever portrayed in a Bollywood movie. Two great instances is when at the end Jai spares Veeru's life by sending him back to the village and gets killed himself. Another great instance is after Jai dies Veeru goes to kill Gabbar and then lets him go after Thakur reminds him that it was Jai that had promised that Gabbar would be returned alive, after that Veeru says if it was his promise he would have broken it.

Another remarkable quality of Sholay is the emotional impact. I don't normally cry whilst watching movies but Jai's death scene gets me every time. Also the scene where Ahmed gets killed by Gabbar and he is sent back to the village on a horse is just unbearable for me.

All the cast play their roles to perfection but it is Sanjeev Kumar that stands out for me. For instance the last scene where he demands Gabbar to give him his hands. Amjad Khan also more than delivered. I cannot imagine any other actor playing him other than Amjad Khan.

The music by the my genius R.D. Burman was superb. My favourite are yeh dosti or Mehbooba (sung by R.D. Burman himself). In my opinion this was his best score for a movie. The action scenes also deserve a special mention, the sequence in which Sanjeev Kumar, Dharmendra and Amitabh are trying to fend off bandits whilst travelling on train is one of my favourite action sequences ever.

In fact until a couple of years ago I could only remember seeing the edited version (damn T.V. channels lol) and they had completely deleted all scenes of Soorma Bhoopali and Asrani. There are not many thirty year old movies that can still excite me when I watch them but Sholay is one of those movies that defies that rule. I can go on ranting about my passion for Sholay, thank you Salim Javed for providing me hours of entertainment.

I rented "Sholay" from an Indian store around where I live and I loved every moment of it! It's funny, sad, romantic, and very ACTION PACKED! Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan have excellent chemistry. I loved the the Buddy Buddy song they sing together, it's really cute and funny but "Holi Ke Din" is the BEST song! I was particularly touched by the "silent" love between Bachchan and his real life wife Jaya Bhaduri. The movie is well acted, Bachchan's character reminded me of James Dean and Steven McQueen. And I was haunted by Bhaduri's performance. On a shallow note, the lead men in this movie are some serious eye candy, especially Bachchan. I was thought he was a handsome guy back in the day, (Hell, he still is!) but in Sholay, he's so incredibly GORGEOUS! I mean, I was drooling over him! This movie is a must see for Bachchan fans.

P.S. Parents, this movie is VERY,VERY, VERY violent! Children and young adults are killed brutally. It's a PG-13er all the way...

a landmark movie and one of the best.i give it 10 out of 10.

i also want to say that this movie is not a remake and the plot is original. and any American who says that it is a remake then he is rude and a dirty liar because it is just inspired by other western movies and this movie is an Indian western that is much better than any American western because the Indian actors and actresses have true and warm emotions that the American actors and actresses don't have. it was directed with an unmatched excellence.i recommend it very much to everyone.

it is such a wonderful movie.

a true masterpiece.

I have yet to come across anyone who has disliked this film; even people I know who dislike Indian films admit that Sholay is a truly great film. The reason is quite simple....the genres covered are universal, and the acting and direction is quite phenomenal. The characters are so brilliantly portrayed that one can sense their emotions within oneself. It has long been argued about who is the best actor in the film. Well for me, it is impossible to tell. Amjad Khan plays Gabbar Singh magnificently, but then again you have Amitabh as Jai, Dharmendra as Veeru, Hema Malini as Basanti and Sanjeev Kumar as Thakur Baldev Singh, all of who put in immaculate performances. How can one choose between them? To 'put the icing on the cake', Sholay also contains two of the greatest songs in Bollywood history(yeh dostee and jub koyee haseena root jaatee hai). When I first watched this film as a child, I was almost crying at the end. Even now when I watch it I find myself getting emotional. Yet there are parts in this film that make you laugh hysterically. So no matter what kind of films you like, this is definitely one to watch....it really is one of the truly great films ever made.

One thing that strikes most about this movie is the characterization. Millions of people still remember the characters in this movie. The plot is inspired from "Seven Samurai" but it is adapted well to the Indian backdrop. This movie was made at a time when bandits were not an extinct species. The plot is simple, Thakur (Sanjeev Kumar) is a cop who arrests a notorious bandit Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan) only to gain his wrath. The bandit escapes and massacres Thakur's family and severs both his arms. Thakur hires two men, Veeru and Jay (played by Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan) to capture Gabbar.

All the characters of this movie have left a mark on Indian cinema for a long time and will continue to remain so. Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bachchan and Hema Malini are all brilliant in the movie. But one man steals the show as the villain who is cunning, merciless and evil. Gabbar Singh's character was played by Amjad Khan and he is fantastic in the film. It is because of him that the movie became the greatest Indian film ever !! 10/10

Now what can I say about this one?This is the best movie bollywood could ever produce;everything is just perfect about this film--it contains action,romance,suspense,comedy,great acting,beautiful songs,unforgettable characters and dialogues and what not!Even after so many years,it's craze remains the same.One surprising thing is that when the film was released,it was considered to be just another average film,it also didn't received many awards or nominations..just when the theaters were going to stop showing it,people were seen in great queues outside the cinema-halls!Suddenly there were rush towards the theaters,and it unexpectedly became so big a hit that it became the first ever bollywood film to observe a silver jubilee!I recommend this film very very much;thogh would also like to mention that people not connected to Indian culture,or people who doesn't know much of it,might find it not so magical..I see some people are considering the comic scenes total nonsense,but without them(surma bhopali and jailer scenes) the movie seems incomplete to me.Here at IMDb,people who hate this film says all the songs but "mehbooba mehbooba" are bogus!I strongly disagree to that and think they only tell so because songs other than "mehbooba mehbooba" have Indian tunes in them.Just see this film and you will be wondered to discover no matter how many times you watch this;watching it over and over again will never tire you!

This movie has everything. Awesome action, wit and humour in the dialogues, the greatest hero of indian cinema, the greatest villain of all times. It captured the imagination of every movie goer and even today mothers discipline their children by telling them about gabbar singh..

***SOME SPOILERS*****

Sholay, directed by Ramesh Sippy in 1975, remains the most successful Hindi (perhaps Indian) film ever made. While a couple of films have made more money and recently Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge surpassed Sholay's unprecedented 5 year run at Minerva Theatre in Bombay, Sholay leads by dint of the sheer impact it made on not just Indian cinema, but popular culture in general.

The film is a loose adaptation of the Magnificent Seven (itself based on Kurosawa's Seven Samurai) and borrows freely from other movies - Hollywood or Indian. However, its adaptation is uniquely Indian and it remains, to my mind, immeasurably superior to the movies it is based upon. The story is about two crooks, Jai and Veeru, in rural central India - a region ravaged by dacoits (outlaws) - who are hired by a village landlord, Thakur to catch Gabbar Singh- a notorious outlaw - alive. Jai is the quiet reflective crook, while Veeru is loud, boisterous, impetuous, and a lothario to boot.

Veeru falls in love with Basanti - a garrulous taangewali (horsecart driver) while Jai silently wooes the Thakur's widowed daughter-in-law, Radha.

******SPOILER ALERT*****SKIP THIS SECTION IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE

It appears that Gabbar had been arrested by the Thakur while the latter was a police inspector and had exacted revenge upon escaping jail by massacring the Thakur's family. The Thakur's attempt at evening scores was met by capture and by the chopping off of his arms in a chilling scene. Hence, the need for mercenaries.

****SPOILER OVER****

Getting the bandit and the eventual shootout is the climax of the film, but it is greater than the sum of its parts. Each character, including minor ones like the jailer, the braggart lumber merchant (Surma Bhopali), the Maulvi, the family servant, have been well fleshed out and have significant parts - at the very least they entertain. The script tends to meander, but Sholay was not meant to be a simple revenge film - it conveyed a larger picture of villages, the dacoit menace so real then and even now.

The film was shot in South India at Ramnagram rather than at the place where it was set (central India) but the stark, rugged scenery was worth it. As the first 70mm film in India and the first to use stereophonic sound, Sholay secured a place in Indian film history.

Its success derives from a good script which does not allow for a dull moment (full marks to Salim-Javed for doing this), excellent direction and editing and excellent cinematography.

While the film was fairly violent it was characteristic of its period. Its legacy however, is the dialogues of the major characters which the producers were able to sell as a separate LP record in 1975 - a first in Indian cinema. A generation later, most Indians who know Hindi understand "Kitne Aadmi the?" "Loha Lohe ko Kat taa hai" "Tera Kyaa Hoga Kaalia" - so much so that these dialogues have entered the lexicon and are frequently used in commercials.

RD Burman's music was a big plus with a fantastic score and even better background music. Indeed the background music from the faux "Western" theme music to music that announced major characters like Gabbar Singh is recognized even after three decades.

Sholay made the career of Gabbar Singh as the first psychopath on the big screen ( though some might argue that Danny Denzongpa had essayed that in Dhund) in India, though he could never get a comparable role later. Sanjeev Kumar's controlled rage as the Thakur was a close second performance. Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan were very good with both exhibiting comedy especially in the water tank scene, though Hema Malini was a bit over the top. The supporting cast of Asrani (jailor), Surma Bhopali (Lumber merchant) and others were very good.

A must see that seems to transcend time. I am obviously biased but years of screening this film for international as well as Indian audiences have convinced me of its worldwide appeal.