Cult classic 'Sholay' set for "Films in Concert' screening at London's Royal Albert Hall
London, June 24
Ramesh Sippy's 1975 cult classic 'Sholay' is all set to make its "Films in Concert" world premiere at London's Royal Albert Hall.
According to a Variety report, the screening will be held on October 10, with Melvin Tay conducting the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra performing RD Burman's score live to screen.
Sippy Films and esk are producing the event.
The screening will showcase 'Sholay: The Final Cut' - a recently restored 4K version of Ramesh Sippy's film that reinstates footage cut by the Indian censor board in 1975.
The print will be projected in Hindi with English subtitles onto a giant HD screen in the Hall's auditorium, stated Variety. According to Sippy Films, the restored version will be available theatrically for only a limited window.
"We are truly excited to partner with esk to bring 'Sholay' to audiences in this novel format. The screening will feature 'Sholay: The Final Cut,' the recently restored 4K version of the film with its original cut that had been banned by the Indian censor board in 1975," said Shehzad Sippy, head of Sippy Films, as quoted by Variety.
Matt Todd, director of programming at the Royal Albert Hall, shared, "Sholay' is an undisputed Bollywood classic paired with an impeccable score, so to host its 'Films in Concert' world premiere here at the Hall is incredibly exciting."
Released in 1975, 'Sholay' has turned into a cult favourite in Indian cinema, owing to its powerful story, memorable characters, iconic dialogues, and evergreen songs like 'Yeh Dosti', 'Mehbooba Mehbooba', 'Haa Jab Tak Hai Jaan', 'Holi Ke Din', and others.
The film's story focuses on the fictitious Ramgarh village, where retired police chief Thakur Baldev Singh (Sanjeev Kumar) plans to defeat the notorious bandit, Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan), with the help of Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) and Veeru (Dharmendra).
Upon arriving in the village, the duo realise the menace of Gabbar Singh and double their efforts to help Thakur. Jaya Bachchan and Hema Malini are seen playing Jai and Veeru's love interests as Radha and Basanti, respectively.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is fantastic news! RD Burman's score live with an orchestra will be magical - Yeh Dosti and Mehbooba Mehbooba are timeless. But I do wish they'd also showcase some other Indian classics like 'Mughal-e-Azam' in similar concerts. Still, proud moment for Indian cinema. 👏
Honestly, I've watched Sholay dozens of times with my Indian friends, and it never gets old. The dialogues are legendary - "Kitne aadmi the?" still gives me chills. Great to see it getting a global platform. Hoping they release the 4K restored version on streaming platforms after the event.
Great event, but I'm a bit skeptical about the "limited window" for the restored version. Why not make it widely available in Indian cinemas too? The censor board cuts from 1975 are history - let the new generation see the film as Sippy intended. Still, applause for taking our cinema to the world stage. 🇮🇳
As someone who studied Indian film history, Sholay is the gold standard of masala cinema. The blend of action, comedy, romance, and drama is unmatched. The Royal Albert Hall is the perfect venue for this - acoustics there are world-class. Can't wait to hear the orchestra play "Holi Ke Din" live!
Nice to see Indian content getting global love, but why does everything have to go to London first? We have amazing venues in India too - the NCPA in Mumbai or Siri Fort
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