At long last, Gabbar is dead: How Sholay got its original ending back

Commenting on its restoration, actor Amitabh Bachchan states, “Some things in life remain permanently etched in your mind. Sholay is one such film. Shooting for the film was an unforgettable experience, but at the time I had no idea that it would be a watershed for Indian cinema…I hope that even 50 years later, the film will capture the imagination of new audiences across the world.”

A still from Sholay. (Sippy Films)

‘The death of Jai is still etched in my mind’

Actor Dharmendra says: “Few people know that I was offered the role of Gabbar and Thakur, but I was clear that I wanted to play the role of Veeru as he is so much like me…My favourite scenes were the tanki scene, the scene in the temple, and so many others, but the most powerful scene I feel was the death of Jai, which is still etched in my mind.”

Written by the legendary Salim-Javed, the 204-minute-long film’s stellar ensemble cast included Hema Malini and Jaya Bhaduri.

Three years ago, Shehzad Sippy of Sippy Films, which produced Sholay, approached the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) regarding its restoration. He wanted to hand over the film elements, which were housed in a Mumbai warehouse, for their preservation. Even though labels were missing from the film cans, upon examining the contents, the FHF discovered that they contained the original 35mm camera and sound negatives.

Shehzad also informed the FHF about additional film elements kept at Iron Mountain, a storage facility in the UK. With the help of the British Film Institute, the FHF got access to these materials. Subsequently, the reels from both London and Mumbai were transported to L’Immagine Ritrovata, a specialised film restoration laboratory in Bologna, to carry out the intricate restoration process.

According to the FHF press note, “The restoration proved to be a complex endeavour, spanning nearly three years. The primary challenge lay in the condition of the original camera negative, which got severely deteriorated and thus unsuitable for the restoration. Consequently, the restoration predominantly utilised the interpositives located in London and Mumbai.

Since the 70mm prints were not available–Sholay was the first Indian film to use the 70 mm widescreen format–the FHF consulted veteran cinematographer Kamlakar Rao, who had collaborated on ‘Sholay’ with the film’s cinematographer Dwarka Divecha.

“Rao recounted Divecha’s technique of employing a ground glass in front of the camera lens, upon which Rao made markings to delineate the margins of the 70mm frame. This invaluable insight guided our decision to adopt a 2.2:1 aspect ratio for the restored film,” reveals FHF sources.

The film’s original magnetic sound elements were found at the Sippy Films office. The sound restoration was conducted using both the original sound negative and these magnetic elements.

Calling Sholay “a masterpiece of passion that generations of Indians have loved”, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, director of the FHF says: “Despite the fact that we could not use the original camera negative and that not a single 70mm print survives, we have left no stone unturned to ensure that this historic film has not only been beautifully restored, but that the restored version that will premiere in Bologna will have the original ending and some never-before-seen deleted scenes.”

Also Read | Salman Khan says he wants to remake Sholay: ‘I can play both Jai and Veeru…even Gabbar’

Talking about the restoration, Shehzad says, “It’s been a labour of love to resurrect the film, and this is a tribute to the vision and the legacy of my grandfather GP Sippy. I can’t wait for ‘Sholay’ to begin its new lease of life.”

After the Italian premiere, the restored Sholay will be screened at international festivals and theatres to celebrate its 50th anniversary.