Salim-Javed Launch 3D Version of ‘Sholay’
- By R.M. Vijayakar, Special to India-West
- Nov 08, 2013
Writer duo Javed Akhtar (l) and Salim Khan, who scripted 1975 Bollywood classic “Sholay,” wear 3D glasses at the trailer launch of the film’s 3D version in Mumbai Nov. 7. (Manav Manglani photo)
MUMBAI, India
Sippy Films’ “Sholay” (1975), advertised as “the Greatest Story Ever Told,” filmed in 70mm and India’s first film to be released with Stereophonic Sound, just got bigger. The film will be re-released in 3D Jan. 3, 2014.
The 3D version is produced by Sascha Sippy, Shehzad Sippy and Shaan Uttamsingh, all grandsons of G.P. Sippy, who produced the original film, under the new banner Sholay Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.
Directed by Ramesh Sippy, who was not present at the launch event due to an intra-family dispute over the ownership rights of the all-time blockbuster, and presented by Pen Audio’s Jayantilal Gada, the film will be released by UTV.
Starring Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan (then billed as Jaya Bhaduri, her maiden name) with Amjad Khan, the film was written by Salim-Javed with music by R.D. Burman and lyrics by Anand Bakshi.
The first look of the trailer saw a jam-packed auditorium at PVR Juhu Nov. 7. The occasion was graced by writers Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, who shared a public podium after decades, as they had split in the early ‘80s.
Akhtar said, “Nothing was impossible!” when asked if they would work together now, 26 years after their last collaboration “Mr. India” hit the screens. Asked whether they had forgotten their animosity, he quipped, “We are shackled together by a ‘Zanjeer’ (chain),” implying a pun both on their first blockbuster of that name (it was their first complete script as story, screenplay and dialogue writers) and the recent battle in which they joined forces against the remake of that film, which finally brought them close again. Khan added, “It could happen! Why not?”
Akhtar stated that this was not the time to be immodest and mentioned how no film classic anywhere in the world had had so many immortal characters — even the bit players. “Lines like “Kitne aadmi the?” have been used as tributes in advertisements, new movies, sitcoms and everyday conversations.
“‘Sholay’ is no longer just a film that has kept our name alive. It is a movement, a part of our psyche. ‘Sholay’ no longer belongs to us. We belong to ‘Sholay.’ When I watched it again, the predominant emotion was awe! There was respect and the sensation of watching something that was magical. By the way, when we first wrote the film, everyone wanted to play Gabbar Singh’s role,” said Akhtar.
Khan said, “When I watched it over 35 years later, obviously there was nostalgia and sweetness, but it was more like meeting an old, familiar friend. You know how it is when you revisit a book or a place you have loved.”
In an amused tone, he added, “We have been placed for the fantastic dialogues in the film. But what most people actually remember are ‘Kitne aadmi the?’ ‘Itna sannata kyoon hai bhai?’ and ‘Tera naam kya hai Basanti?’ which are questions! We have written so many memorable lines, but they are not as popular.”
The writer recollected a party in his home where a guest had gone to the restroom and had not returned for over 90 minutes because he was watching the film that was running on television in an inner room, that too standing engrossed, as well as recalling a man called Chandiramani whom he had met, who had gone to sleep for 25 years only after watching portions of the film!
Khan also shared the story of how the film was born. He recalled, “Producer V.K. Sobti, Jeetendra’s brother-in-law, wanted us to write a film starring Jeetendra and Shatrughan Sinha. We gave him a brief synopsis but he somehow did not like the plot. We even went to Baldev Pushkarna, who made another film, ‘Chacha Bhatija,’ with us.
“Meanwhile, G.P. Sippy wanted to work with us again after ‘Andaz’ and ‘Seeta Aur Geeta’ and we gave him the subject of ‘Majboor’ that producer Premji made later. But Sippy-saab said that the film had a small canvas and he wanted to make a big film. When we narrated the same subject again, he said, ‘This is it!’”
“Sholay” went on to gross a then-record Rs. 2.5 to 3 crore per territory and ran for 150 weeks, with the “Current Booking” opening in Mumbai’s Minerva cinema well after the 50th week.
The writers praised G.P. Sippy for the vision to produce the film, which took three years to make and the kind of money that was then considered lunacy as an amount to be spent on a single film. “It was he who had the greatest confidence in our subject!” raved Akhtar, who also later stated that while all the questions were directed at them and to the film and cast, no one could afford to forget the gargantuan contribution of cinematographer Dwarka Divecha and the other technicians.
India-West asked the writers to speak of the contribution of Anand Bakshi, who wrote the songs revolving around the situations woven into the script and was thus an extension of their writing team. Said Khan, “Bakshi-saab was simply the best.” Akhtar added, “Bakshi-saab was versatile. He may have written some not very good lyrics, but the number of brilliant songs he wrote even outnumbered the total repertoire of many great lyricists! He did a brilliant job in the film.”
Coming back to the script, Akhtar said that even the dialogues’ LP records were issued and sold almost double that of the music albums. “This was our first and only draft,” he recalled. “We never knew what a second version or draft of a script was till we rewrote the second half of ‘Trishul.’ Till then, all our stories were written once and never reworked, whether it was ‘Haathi Mere Saathi,’ ‘Yaadon Ki Baraat,’ ‘Haath Ki Safai,’ ‘Deewaar,’ ‘Chacha Bhatija’ or ‘Don.’”
Adding an amusing note, Khan recollected how when they watched the trailer of “Trishul” and realized something was amiss, a worried producer Gulshan Rai asked him later, “Can something be done to save the situation?” and the writer had jokingly told him, “Yes, I have a surefire solution — don’t release the film!”
The writer laughed as he remembered how Rai had complained to someone that his writers were ruthless people who did not even think of the money he had invested! Later, when he was told that his senior writer was just teasing him, came the problem of how to convince Rai to re-shoot for 10 to 15 days. Said Khan, “We convinced him three days at a time.” The film, of course, was a huge blockbuster.
“Sholay 3D” has been made at a cost of Rs. 25 crore. The background music and songs have been done keeping the original compositions and voices intact, by Raju Singh. While the producers hunted high and low abroad for converting the film into 3D on an economical note and were told that they would need sums like $15 million, Ketan Mehta’s Maya Digital Studios cleaned and restored the negative and upgraded it to HD before converting it to 3D without creative compromise and with excellent results at a fraction of the cost.
Mehta and guest Boney Kapoor were also present at the event.
Watch the official trailer of “Sholay” 3D below:
