The London Film Festival will mark the 50th anniversary of the Bollywood classic Sholay with a special screening of a restored director’s cut that features the original ending and previously unseen deleted scenes.
The celebration comes as part of the British Film Institute’s (BFI) annual international film festival, which opens next week. Alongside Sholay, the event will highlight other Indian projects, including Hotel London by Lucknow-born filmmaker Ahmed Alauddin Jamal and Anuparna Roy’s debut feature Songs of Forgotten Trees, which is competing in the First Feature Competition.
Directed by Ramesh Sippy and first released on August 15, 1975, Sholay became a cultural phenomenon with unforgettable characters such as Jai and Veeru (Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra), Thakur (Sanjeev Kumar), Gabbar (Amjad Khan), Basanti (Hema Malini), and Radha (Jaya Bachchan), TNIE reported.
Amitabh Bachchan expressed happiness over the restoration by the Film Heritage Foundation, noting that the inclusion of the original ending and lost scenes makes it even more special. He recalled that his role as Jai remains deeply memorable and permanently imprinted in his mind.
Amitabh Bachchan reflected on the filming of Sholay, saying that while shooting had been a remarkable experience, he never imagined the film would become such a turning point in Indian cinema. He recalled how the movie went from being initially dismissed as a failure to achieving record-breaking box office success, describing the journey as an emotional rollercoaster for the cast and crew. Even 50 years later, he hoped the film would continue to inspire new audiences around the world.
Released in 1975, the ensemble drama featured Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh, Sanjeev Kumar as Thakur, and Hema Malini as Basanti. According to the BFI, the film resonated with global audiences through its gripping story, unforgettable characters, and groundbreaking action sequences.
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, director of the Film Heritage Foundation, explained that although the original camera negative and 70mm prints no longer exist, extensive efforts went into restoring the film. He emphasised that the new version not only preserves the legacy of the classic but also includes the original ending and never-before-seen deleted scenes.
The restored Sholay will be screened at the BFI IMAX in London—the country’s largest cinema screen—on October 19, the closing day of the 2025 London Film Festival.