Restored classic ‘Sholay’ wows audience at Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Italy

Fifty years after it first lit up the silver screen in India, Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay made a triumphant return, this time, in a newly restored, uncut avatar at the prestigious Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Bologna, Italy. On Friday night, the open-air Piazza Maggiore was packed with cinephiles who gathered under the stars to witness the revival of one of Indian cinema’s most legendary films.

The screening marked the 50th anniversary of Sholay

The movie originally released in 1975 and went on to become a defining cultural moment in Indian film history. Featuring an iconic ensemble cast, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bachchan, and Amjad Khan, the film was written by the celebrated duo Salim-Javed and directed by Ramesh Sippy.

The restored version of Sholay is the result of a painstaking three-year restoration effort led by the Film Heritage Foundation in collaboration with Sippy Films. Notably, this version includes six additional minutes of footage that were missing from the version released during the Emergency. Among the key additions is the original ending, where Thakur, played by Sanjeev Kumar, exacts his revenge by killing the villain Gabbar Singh — a moment the censor board had cut from the 1975 release, opting instead for a more restrained conclusion where police intervene.

The audience at Bologna got to experience enhanced visuals, sound quality as well as the raw power of a story that has stood the test of time. Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, director of the Film Heritage Foundation, shared his thoughts on the event on social media platform X:

“What an incredible feeling to see restored Sholay with the original ending on the big screen at Piazza Maggiore in Bologna… so many people under the stars as they stayed awake till 1am. For me, it was my childhood memory come alive 50 years later: Sholay is back.”

The screening was a celebration of the film’s enduring legacy. From the unforgettable friendship of Jai and Veeru to the haunting villainy of Gabbar Singh and Thakur’s silent rage, Sholay continues to resonate with audiences across generations. Its dialogues, characters, and action set-pieces are deeply embedded in Indian pop culture.

By featuring Sholay at Il Cinema Ritrovato, India’s film restoration movement took a proud step forward, placing its classics alongside the greats of world cinema.

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