Sholay to release with original climax at Indian Film Festival of Sydney

Even after nearly half a century, Sholay continues to strike a chord with audiences across generations. Among its most unforgettable moments is the emotional loss of Jai and the gripping showdown between Thakur and Gabbar Singh. In the version that reached cinemas, Thakur stops short of delivering the final blow, leaving Gabbar to be captured by the police.

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But few are aware that director Ramesh Sippy had originally filmed a much darker climax, one where Thakur himself kills Gabbar. Distributors, however, urged a change, opting for a less brutal ending. Now, fifty years later, the unseen version of Sholay is set to be unveiled for the very first time.

Sydney to Host the Rare Screening

The Indian Film Festival of Sydney (IFFS), curated by the same team that presents the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), has chosen Sholay as its centrepiece in October. Audiences will witness the original ending, Thakur killing Gabbar, when the festival runs from 9 to 11 October.

Years of Restoration Work

The Film Heritage Foundation, in association with Sippy Films, has restored the film in breathtaking 4K. This effort took years and included finding a rare colour reversal print in London as well as recovering camera negatives and deleted scenes hidden away in a Mumbai warehouse. The restored version brings the classic back to its original 70mm brilliance.

Festival Director on the Film’s Legacy

Festival Director Mitu Bhowmick Lange called this screening a historic moment. She said, “Sholay is more than a film; it is woven into the fabric of Indian storytelling, memory and myth. To bring back its original ending, after all these years, is to restore not just a different final scene, but the full vision of its creator."

She added, "As we mark 50 years of Sholay, we honour the courage of cinema to challenge, to endure, and to be reborn in its truest form. We are thrilled that Sydney audiences will now see the film as it was always meant to be seen.”

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Sholay’s Place in Indian Cinema

Released in 1975, Sholay featured Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, and Amjad Khan. The film became the highest-grossing Indian film of all time and held that record for over a decade, sealing its place as the most celebrated blockbuster in Indian cinema history.