At a special screening of a rare Cinemascope print of ‘Sholay’ preserved by the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF), legendary writer Javed Akhtar received an overwhelming reception, remarking, “Thank you for giving us such a warm reception. It’s very kind of you. This doesn’t usually happen to writers, you know,” The event, held on Saturday at Mumbai’s Regal Cinema, saw fans lining up in droves, eager to rewatch the iconic film that Akhtar co-wrote with Salim Khan, who was also in attendance.
According to FHF’s Instagram, the screening drew a packed house of 1,100 moviegoers. The foundation shared a video capturing the long line of cinephiles waiting outside the cinema, highlighting the enthusiasm for this special celluloid projection of “Sholay’. The post read, “Epic response for FHF’s ‘Sholay’ screening today with cinephiles queuing up from 2:30 pm to catch this very rare screening of ‘Sholay’ being projected on celluloid!! There will always be a special place for film.”
The event also featured Javed Akhtar’s daughter, Zoya Akhtar, who addressed the audience, while producer Siddharth Roy Kapur was seen greeting the legendary writers. Demonstrating his signature wit, Javed Akhtar quipped to his co-writer, “Salim Saab, badi lambi line hai, iska matlab apni film hit hai (There’s a long queue, which means our film is a hit).” He also expressed his deep appreciation to Film Heritage Foundation’s Shivendra Singh for preserving and restoring ‘Sholay’ and other cinematic classics.
Reflecting on the film’s creation, Akhtar revealed, “When we began writing, we had no idea ‘Sholay’ would become such a blockbuster. Initially, it wasn’t intended to be a multi-starrer, but as the screenplay evolved, we realized the potential to include many stars, which perhaps is what made it so special.”
Directed by Ramesh Sippy, ‘Sholay’ remains a cornerstone of Bollywood cinema. Though initially met with skepticism, with many labeling it a flop, the film quickly gained traction, becoming one of the most iconic movies in Hindi film history. The film featured an ensemble cast including Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, and Jaya Bachchan, with Amitabh Bachchan famously reassured by Salim-Javed not to worry about the film’s slow start—a reassurance that proved prophetic as ‘Sholay’ went on to achieve legendary status.
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