Paying tribute to a legend. Review on Sholay

My fifth review was to be about something else, but how could I let this opportunity pass by?? To coincide with the re-release of Sholay today, I have decided to review this 29 yr old classic. To review is actually not the right word, since when it comes down to it, I will just be paying homage to this path breaking venture.

15th of August 1975 was the date that Sholay was first released. It was condemned in its first week and not expected to last a fortnight. Defying all its condemnations Sholay not only lasted the month, but became the first movie to actually spend more than five years (I think it lasted around seven) on screen. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is supposed to have broken that record, but I do not count that since it ran to empty houses at Maratha Mandir for its last 3 yrs.

Back to Sholay. The movie has become such legend, that not only are its protagonists remembered, but even all its side characters, their dialogues and complete scenes have become part of our folklore. Right from Jagdeep?s Surma Bhopali and Asrani?s Angrez ke jamaane ka jailor to Mac mohan?s Samba and Viju Khote?s Kalia have become part of the public?s consciousness.

Sanjeev Kumar plays a retired police officer Thakur Baldev Singh (tht name actually came to me without having to think), whose family is mercilessly massacred by dreaded dacoit Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan). Thakur is out for revenge and decides to employ two accomplished conmen Jai (Amitabh Bachhan) and Veeru (Dharmendra) to fight and capture the feared dacoit. Gabbar is a psychopathic dacoit whose threat over the village of Ramgad has lead him to become a nightmarish legend as he points out by saying that every mother in the village tells her child to sleep otherwise Gabbar will come and take them.

The village of Ramgad has accepted Gabbar?s terms and is living without dignity. This goes on until the arrival of the two men. The two men start out doing the task merely for money, but their interaction with the villagers and thakur, changes them and once they discover a love for the village, not to mention the two heroines Hema Malini and Jaya Bhaduri, they undergo a transformation into dedicated and responsible citizens and risk their lives for the deliverance of the village from Gabbar?s clutches.

The story is a simple tale of good versus evil. It however incorporates themes of friendship, loyalty, love and ends in a climax where Jai?s ultimate sacrifice cannot help but bring tears to your eyes. The movie addresses some issues of social justice and harmony. It talks about courage and deliverance from bondage. It talks of revenge. However, these old adages are not put across in a preachy manner but are treated very differently and have resulted in an entertaining mix of everything. The romance in the movie has two faces.

We see the blatant wooing and drama of Veeru and Basanti?s love and we also see the more mature and subdued love between Jai and the widow Jaya Bhaduri. The friendship between the two Jai and Veeru is glorified and is entertaining. The horrible misfortune of Thakur and the village is treated sensitively. The fights are well executed.

This movie was so huge that Bollywood can literally use it to demarcate an era, so now you have pre-Sholay and post-Sholay films. The writers are Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan (father of Salman Khan, just in case ya didn?t know) who have penned a story and dialogues that have remained immortal almost thirty years since release. The director is Ramesh Sippy, who must count this movie as the crowning glory of his career. Though the movie shows shades of a few Hollywood movies (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid for one), it is treated very efficiently at all times and each scene is handled with a lot of forethought.

Technically the movie is superior to its contemporaries. Story wise, it has lasting appeal. If the performances are to be counted, then all characters were fleshed out so beautifully by the writers that the actors simply had to read out the dialogue with decent dialogue delivery and still be remembered. In this case however, there are exceptional performances by all concerned, especially Amjad Khan as Gabbar is brilliant. It is impossible for one to believe that this was his first film. The dialogue delivery is excellent, the laugh inimitable and the psychopathic look pure genius.

The dialogues of this movie need special mention, since they are a lasting legacy of the classic. How many of us must have greeted friends into the home with a sinister ?Aao Thakur?? Who can forget Asrani?s dialogue ?Aadhe idhar jaao, aadhe udhar jaao aur baaki mere peeche aao?? (Half of you go there, half of you go there, the rest follow me!) (nt I cant translate all the dialogues, I hope MS members will excuse).

Then there are the usual gems ?Arre o Samba, kitne aadmi the re?? from raving Gabbar and the brilliant sarcastic comments of the phlegmatic Jai, ?Tumhara naam kya hai Basanti?? Veeru and his drunken ravings on top of the water tank have become legendary in their own right, ?I dying, police coming, police coming, budhiya going jail, and chakki pissing and pissing and pissing?. Even the bit actors in the village crowds are given sweet dialogues to deliver such as, ?Angrez log jab marte hain toh usse suicide kehte hain? and even small roles like A.K Hangal?s blind man have an integral part to play in the movie.

All movies have their flaws and am sure Sholay has its share. However due to its legendary status and its mass appeal, these flaws get clouded, even in my sight. I have loved this movie, from the first time I saw it when I was 8 yrs old to just recently a month ago which must?ve been my 15th viewing. I do not think I am qualified enough to say bad things about it or point out faults. That does not mean that they do not exist. There are a few glitches in characterization which can sometimes be sketchy, melodrama may take over a little during the movie and the soundtrack is nothing to be inspired by. However, the movie makes you overlook all this and just enjoy it for the way it was made.

Sholay is a movie that became folklore. It is what all movies in Bollywood aspire to be. Am sure my review has not done justice to the movie. Am sure nothing in writing can really do justice to the movie. What stands as monument to its popularity is the number of people who have seen it and laughed, cried and shared moments with the characters. I have unfortunately been part of a generation which could never see this movie on screen.

Hence this re-release is a moment of joy for me, where I can finally witness the movie the way it was meant to be seen. I will be rushing to my nearest theatre this weekend; I hope a few of you are too.