Sholay Final Cut box office collection: Dharmendra’s film earns Rs 30 lakh as it just gets 373 shows amid Dhurandhar wave

According to industry tracker Sacnilk, on its opening day, the film earned approximately Rs 30 lakh—far below expectations for what was projected as the “biggest-ever re-release of a restored film.” The reissue was positioned as a once-in-a-generation opportunity for younger audiences to experience the cult classic on the big screen and was also seen as a tribute to Dharmendra, who passed away on November 24.

Industry insiders suggest that the box-office storm created by Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar significantly curtailed both screen count and footfall for Sholay. A source told Bollywood Hungama, “On November 15, the team behind Sholay: The Final Cut—restoration partner Film Heritage Foundation and producers Sippy Films—announced the December 12 release. Interestingly, FHF’s social media post claimed the film would release on 1,500 screens. However, this figure was conspicuously absent from the posts of Sippy Films and Pen.”

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Trouble for the film reportedly began earlier at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, where Sholay: The Final Cut was scheduled for a special screening. The screening was abruptly cancelled. While the official reason cited was Dharmendra’s sudden passing, later speculation suggested that “technical glitches from the makers’ side” may have been the real cause.

The claim of a 1,500-screen release for a 50-year-old film raised eyebrows within the trade, especially since the release date was positioned dangerously close to Dhurandhar. The report quoted a source: “Sholay: The Final Cut was originally slated to release a week after Dhurandhar and would also have clashed with Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2, backed by Disney-Star Studio18. That alone makes the 1,500-screen claim puzzling. As expected, the film is struggling to even reach 1,000 screens. The team is fortunate to have Pen Marudhar Entertainment as its distributor, which used its goodwill and extensive network to secure as many theatres as possible. But a 1,500-screen release was next to impossible.”

Ticket pricing also emerged as a key issue. While re-releases are typically priced affordably—often around Rs 150—the makers of Sholay: The Final Cut opted for regular ticket rates applicable to new releases, further dampening audience interest.

Adding to the controversy was the film’s trailer, which revealed that the iconic “James Bond” reference in a key dialogue had been replaced with “Tatya Tope.” This alteration drew sharp criticism from co-writer Javed Akhtar. Reacting to the change, he told the publication, “What does this mean? And this is just one dialogue. They might have similarly changed other famous lines. The audience won’t accept this. Have they spoken to the director (Ramesh Sippy)? They have certainly not spoken to me or to Salim saab (Khan). We are the writers of those lines that are recited even today by fans of Sholay.”