For Ramesh Sippy, 2025 has been a significant year. The veteran filmmaker’s masterpiece Sholay completed 50 years of its release in August. Over decades, Sippy has carried the tag of the Sholay director. It’s something he wears with pride, but doesn’t let it weigh him down. “I never felt any pressure to outdo Sholay. Every film must have its own identity. I don’t chase success; I chase inspiration,” he begins, when we, after over two months of chasing the filmmaker, sit down for a chat with him.
Inspiration has struck him again. The filmmaker, whose last directorial venture Shimla Mirchi released in 2020, is going back to the director’s chair. “I’m developing a new project. It’s in its early stages. I’ve always believed in being completely sure of an idea before moving forward. Once I’m certain, you’ll hear an announcement,” he says, refusing to divulge any further details. While the buzz is that the project is an action film, he stays tight-lipped, only saying, “I am currently shaping it with writers.”
(L-R) Hema Malini, Amitabh Bachchan, and Dharmendra in ‘Sholay’
Sippy is understandably more forthcoming as we turn the lens on his 1975 classic starring Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini, and Amjad Khan. To mark the 50-year milestone, the movie’s restored version was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. Many domestic film festivals too hosted special screenings. The response continues to move Sippy deeply. “It’s overwhelming. When we made the film, we had no idea what it would become. I recently watched Sholay in Toronto with a full house, and the audience reacted exactly as Indian viewers did back in 1975. That was truly heart-warming.”
Very few Hindi films have managed to be as enduring as the classic. Ask Sippy the secret to the movie’s longevity and he points to its honesty. “We kept it simple — drama where it was needed, humour and warmth where it belonged. Salim–Javed wrote a superb script, and the actors performed with sincerity. Add to that RD Burman’s unforgettable music, and everything just clicked.”
In today’s cinematic landscape, a film like Sholay would have spawned sequels and spin-offs. But Sippy never considered taking that route. “The culture of sequels didn’t exist back then, but more importantly, Sholay is fine as it is. After 50 years, the audiences react the same way. Why change something that continues to work perfectly? Some films should remain untouched.”