‘Sholay’ Returns In Original Uncut Glory At Italy’s Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival

The legendary Indian film ‘Sholay’ returns in its original, uncut version at Il Cinema Ritrovato in Italy, featuring the deleted ending and restored footage to mark its 50th anniversary.

Restored classic ‘Sholay’ to be screened in its original form at Italy’s Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival.

Source : IMDb

Half a century after it first exploded onto Indian cinema screens, the landmark film 'Sholay' is set to return, not just to Indian hearts, but to global eyes. On June 27, the uncut and original version of 'Sholay' will premiere at the prestigious Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Bologna, Italy, celebrating its 50th year with never-before-seen footage and the ending that was once censored.

The open-air screening at the iconic Piazza Maggiore will showcase the film as director Ramesh Sippy had envisioned, including the powerful climax where Thakur avenges his family's death by killing Gabbar Singh. This crucial scene, removed by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in 1975, will now finally see the light of day alongside other previously deleted sequences.

Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra on Sholay

Amitabh Bachchan, who played Jai in the film, reflected on the unpredictable journey of 'Sholay' from a rocky start to legendary status. “At the time I had no idea that it would be a watershed for Indian cinema. Its dramatic change in fortunes from being declared an unsuccessful venture, to its record-breaking box office run was an emotional rollercoaster for all of us… I hope that even 50 years later, the film will capture the imagination of new audiences across the world,” he said, as quoted in SCREEN.

Veteran actor Dharmendra, known for his iconic role as Veeru, called 'Sholay' “the eighth wonder of the world” and praised the dialogues by Salim-Javed and Sippy’s direction. “So many scenes have gone down in the history of Indian cinema and every character became a star. But the real hero was the coin… My favourite scenes were the tanki scene, the scene in the temple, and so many others, but the most powerful scene I feel was the death of Jai, which is still etched in my mind."

Three Years in the Making: A Labour of Love

The painstaking restoration was carried out by the Film Heritage Foundation in collaboration with Sippy Films Pvt. Ltd. Producer Shehzad Sippy, grandson of the original producer GP Sippy, shared the emotional effort behind the resurrection. “It’s been a labour of love to resurrect the film and this is a tribute to the vision and the legacy of my grandfather GP Sippy. I can’t wait for Sholay to begin its new lease of life.”

With its original cast including Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bachchan, and Hema Malini, the film stands as a towering cultural artefact — one that has defined generations. As the film makes its global return, restored and complete, it promises to connect once more with audiences, old and new, in ways never experienced before