It’s hard to think of another movie that has left as profound an impact on Indian culture and cinema as 'Sholay' (1975). Directed by Ramesh Sippy, this action-adventure film blends elements from Spaghetti Westerns, heist movies, and samurai cinema, and it wasn’t just a box-office hit—it became a defining example of masala cinema. Written by the legendary duo Salim-Javed, 'Sholay' featured a stellar cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, and Amjad Khan, among others.
Although much has been discussed and written about Sholay over the years, even after 49 years since its initial release, the film continues to unveil fascinating stories. Recently, actor-director Sachin Pilgaonkar, who worked on the movie as an assistant director, took a trip down memory lane and shared some interesting behind-the-scenes details. He revealed that Ramesh Sippy would only come to the set to direct scenes featuring the lead actors such as Amitabh, Dharmendra, and Sanjeev.
Sachin Pilgaonkar shares details of 'Sholay' shooting
Sachin recalled that the famous train robbery scene, shot along the Bombay-Poona railway route near Panvel, was filmed without Ramesh Sippy present. He said, "Rameshji decided to have a second unit to do some action sequences which don’t feature the main stars. These were just passing shots. For this, he had a director of stunt films, Mohammed Ali bhai. He was a renowned stunt filmmaker, and with him was an action director, Azim bhai. And the latter got two guys from Hollywood, Jim and Jerry. He (Ramesh) wanted two persons to represent him because these people came from other countries. How would they know about the film and what’s happening?"
Sachin humorously added, “At that time, there were only two 'bekaar' (useless) people in the unit: one was Amjad Khan and the other one was me.” Amjad Khan, of course, played the iconic villain Gabbar Singh in the film, and Sachin himself had a role as Ahmed.
Ramesh Sippy, knowing both Sachin and Amjad’s interest in directing, chose them to oversee the second unit. Sachin explained, “He asked us if we liked to represent him. 'Andha maange ek aankh, suddenly usko do mil gaya' (the blind man asked for one eye, but suddenly he got two).” This opportunity allowed Sachin to stay on set, even when the main cast wasn't shooting.
Sachin also shared more about the filming of the train robbery scene. "He [Ramesh Sippy] was supposed to come only when Dharamji, Amitji, and Hari bhai (Sanjeev Kumar) had work. Rameshji shot those portions, and we handled the remaining scenes," Sachin said.
The stories behind 'Sholay' continue to intrigue fans, keeping its legacy alive as one of the most iconic films in Indian cinema.