Bollywood classic ‘Sholay’ to mark 50 years with TIFF premiere in 4k restored version

 

Directed by Ramesh Sippy and featuring an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Jaya Bachchan, and Hema Malini, the film released on August 15, 1975. It failed initially and picked up as the weeks went by, emerging as a classic film over the years.

 

Be it dialogues, the friendship between Amitabh's Jai and Dharmendra’s Veeru, Sanjeev Kumar’s vengeful turn as Thakur or Amjad Khan’s portrayal of the dreaded dacoit Gabbar Singh that went on to redefine the Hindi film villain, “Sholay” has stayed at the top of the pop culture charts — for five decades and counting.

 

The Film Heritage Foundation shared the announcement of the film's screening in the restored version on its official Instagram handle on Friday, featuring the poster of the film. The event will take place on September 6.

 

"Indian cinematic epic 'Sholay' (1975), directed by Ramesh Sippy, celebrates 50 years with the North American Premiere of the restored version at the 50th edition of the TIFF Toronto International Film Festival! This special screening will take place on September 6, 2025, at a gala event at the 1800-seater Roy Thomson Hall befitting the legendary status of the film. The film has been restored in 4k by Film Heritage Foundation in association with Sippy Films Pvt," read the caption of the post.

 

The restored version of "Sholay" featuring six minutes of extra footage, including its original ending where Gabbar is killed by Thakur, was also screened at Italy's II Cinema Ritrovato Festival in June. The restoration process was spearheaded by Film Heritage Foundation and Sippy Films Pvt Ltd.