Sholay Movie Review By Tarun Adersh

Sholay (15 Aug 1975)


Movie Review:
By Tarun Adersh, August 15, 1975 - 15:17 IST




I've often wondered, what makes hype about a film in people's mind? Is it the starcast, or the music, or the director behind it? There have been films which come with zero expectations, and went on to become big hits, and there are films which come up wit huge expectations, and become mere duds at the boxoffice. Sadly, SHOLAY, the latest offering from Ramesh Sippy falls into the second category. The movie comes up with high expectations, and makes the audience disappoint to the core. People go into the cinema hall with mind full of expectations from the team Ramesh Sippy- Dharmendra- Hema Malini and comes out in regret!





The story is simple (Well, that doesn't mean it is IMPRESSIVE!), its a mixture of many foreign films, narrated in an arrogant way. The fallen-down ex-policeman[Sanjeev Kumar] makes use of two petty criminals Veeru[Dharmendra] and Jai[Amitabh Bachchan] to put a fullstop to the irritating dacoit king, Gabbar Singh[Amjad Khan]. The story has nothing new to offer, the revenge and parallel love stories are heard many times before. But then, things could have been better, if the plot was executed in a better way. Sadly, the director [Ramesh Sippy] fails to narrate the film in an interesting manner, and that is the biggest failure of SHOLAY.


The movie tries to emphasise on the notorious stories of the 'Chambal Dacoits', but it is sidelined due to many unwanted relationships and sentiments. Consider the relationship between Jai and Radha, it looks so stupid in the screen even though the artists who performed them are real life couples. My advice to the couple is, choose films wisely, at least when you two are together on screen.



The director tries hard to make an impact in the viewers' mind, with the help of lame sentiments, but unfortunately it also doesn't work. Note the scene when Gabbar's people kill Thakur's family, or the scene towards the end, when Jai dies on the hands of Veeru. They are completely wasted. The same-side coin concept also seemed so stupid.


Rahul Dev Burman's music is average, the tracks make a feeling of heard-before. The 'Yeh Dosti' song was good on listening, but is wasted by a Tom& Jerry style picturisation. The screenplay by Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan is loose at most of the parts.
The movie boasts of being the first Indian movie to have a stereophonic soundtrack, and to be presented in the 70 mm. Sadly, the steriophonic effect is irritating to the ears, and 70MM screen only helps us get a headache.

Amjed Khan is a natural actor, but is totally wasted by the artificial acting in SHOLAY. Sanjeev Kumar is below average, with a stoned expression. Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan are alright, but doesn't look comfortable together at screen, together. Jaya Bhadhuri and Heme Malini have nothing to do. Rest of the cast is okay.


On the whole, SHOLAY is a below average flick from the makers of SEETA AUR GEETA. This SHOLAY is cold, and will eventually entitle heavy losses to the producers. Disappointed!