Sholay The Final Cut Review: The Nirvana On Screen Forever

‘Sholay’ - The Final Cut Movie Review

In my humble opinion, for the first time in mainstream Indian cinema there is no clear-cut hero or protagonist in ‘Sholay’. Gabbar is the villain, so who is the hero – Jai, Veeru, Thakur… Salim-Javed has written such an unmatched milestone that has layers after layers in this saga and Ramesh Sippy has narrated an immortal milestone that fails to age and continues to inspire.

There is friendship, there is love, sacrifice, courage, bold issues like the romance between a widow Radha (Jaya Bachchan) and Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) - that lamp scene (beyond the reach of all Chopra’s Johar’s Imtiaz’s of Bollywood put together).

An episodic cinema – yeah in a way ‘Sholay’ is an episodic cinema – the pattern later adopted by the Tarantino’s and Guy Ritchie’s of the world. Picture this – the train sequence, the Soorma Bhoplai sequence (Jagdeep), the Angrez ke zaman eke jailor (Asrani), the entry of Gabbar (Amjad Khan), the Jai proposal to mausi (Leela Mishra) for Veeru, the massacre of the thakur family, Ahmed (Sachin Pilgaonkar), Rahim chacha (A.K. Hangal), the romance between Veeru and Basanti (Dharmendra and Hema Malini), camaraderie between Jai and Veeru (Amitabh, Dharemdra), the water tank scene, the death of Jai, the pre climax and then the climax (in the uncut version). Each character is meticulously created and even though Bhopali and Jailor are not directly related they do have their specific purpose in the grand scheme of things.

Frame by frame, scene by scene you go through a roller coaster ride of all the emotions known to human kind. ‘Sholay’ is pure magic which has stayed forever and will continue to do so.

‘Sholay’ is a unique – a movie which taught us how each and every character from Sambha (Mac Mohan) to Thakur, Gabbar, Jai, Veeru, Kalia (Viju Khote), Rahim Chacha, Jailor, Bhopali, even Dhano (The female horse) is important for a memorable narrative. Each and every department right from sound (Mangesh Desai), camera (Dwarka Divecha), editing ( M.S. Shinde), action, music (R.D Burman), production designing and art direction (Ram Yedekar) is important for a film. And costume, yes costume – Jai and Veeru have almost done the film in their pair of two denims. The wardrobe of Gabbar is not that typical dhoti clad bandook (gun) holding type daku (dacoit) which was popular in that era. A trouser and a shirt which he carried throughout the film. No tilak, no Maa Bhavani kinda thing. The dress code of Jai Veeru and Gabbar in a way knowingly or unknowingly have helped in making ‘Sholay’ ageless, evergreen.

And it broke the standard norms – it’s not just the star, or the maker and or the music or the dialogues needed to make a blockbuster – you need everything to make a milestone.

In today’s times imagine a massacre of a family and not a single drop of blood displayed n screen. ‘Sholay’ which was criticized for its violence hardly shows any blood on scene. During ‘jab tak hai jaan’ song you see some blood and during the climax. Still, the terror of Gabbar and the effectiveness of the terrific action is no less.

This is ‘Sholay’ an Indian spaghetti western that had everything, a complete film that has brilliance written in each and every department.

‘‘Sholay’’ The Final Cut Review – Final Words

I have lost the count on how many times I have seen ‘Sholay’ but whenever I see, I discover something new, such is the impact, detailing and the magic of this nirvana on screen that keeps reminding in all its nostalgia that magic does happens and movies like ‘Sholay’ fail to age, they continue to entertain, inspire and educate. ‘Sholay’ is a lesson – a never ending lesson.

Going with five out of five for ‘Sholay’

(pls note: This is not a critical review of ‘Sholay’ but an expression derived from all my years with ‘Sholay’ till date. Grown up watching this evergreen immortal cult and to review such a film will be like showing a lamp to the blazing sun. Normally we don’t give full marks but ‘Sholay’ remains an exception, nothing can better ‘Sholay’ in spite of all the copied or say ‘inspired’ allegations.)

For all your love for cinema and respect for masterpieces do visit ‘Sholay The Final Cut’ not just for the nostalgia and entertainment, for the unmatched brilliance by Ramesh Sippy which every time gives a true cine lover something new to learn.

And last but not the least, the enhanced 4K version is sharp and provides fabulous vision of the evergreen cult Indian western spaghetti  

‘Sholay The Final Cut’ is running in theatres.

Produced by Sippy Films, ‘Sholay The Final Cut’ is restored in 4K by Film Heritage Foundation and released through Pen.

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