50 years of 'Sholay': When the screen went dark during its screening at Minerva theatre in Mumbai and how director Ramesh Sippy saved the day

Bollywood's timeless classic, 'Sholay,' is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The film, which was released on August 15, 1975, forever changed Indian cinema and remains a cultural touchstone. Director Ramesh Sippy recently shared some fascinating behind-the-scenes stories about the film's early days, including a near-disaster that he personally averted. The iconic movie, which was initially met with slow ticket sales before becoming a phenomenal success through word-of-mouth, faced an unexpected technical glitch on its opening day.

Here's a walk down the memory lane as 'Sholay' completes 50 years this year.

Screen goes blank during screening of 'Sholay'

In a throwback interview with NDTV, Sippy recalled the film's initial premiere at Mumbai’s iconic Minerva Theatre. He recounted a day when the screen suddenly went dark, though the audio continued to play. Surprisingly, the audience remained completely engrossed, listening intently to the dialogues. Upon investigation, Sippy discovered that the projector’s carbon wasn't being changed on time, causing the frequent blackouts. To ensure uninterrupted screenings, Sippy took it upon himself to personally visit the theater daily to deliver fresh carbon.

During an appearance on the chat show The Invincibles, the director also discussed the film's duration and box office performance. Sholay was released during the Emergency, when four-show schedules meant that the first screening had to start at 9 a.m. and night shows had to end by midnight. Sippy also shed light on the initial struggles of 'Sholay,' which was first considered a box office failure. However, it was positive word-of-mouth that turned the tide.

Unauthorized cuts and backlash from the audience for 'Sholay'

Sippy also revealed a little-known fact about the film's initial run. The director spoke about a tough decision to cut 20 minutes from the film to shorten its runtime, which was a common request at the time. Sippy revealed that comedy tracks featuring Asrani and Jagdeep were removed, a move that did not sit well with the audience. People who had seen the original cuts began demanding the scenes back.

"We were told to chop out 20 minutes from the film, but we were perplexed as to what can be cut from the film," Sippy added in reference to the movie's length impacting collections. "We did decrease the length of the film by 20 minutes, as we were told to remove the comedy tracks of Asrani and Jagdeep."

The runtime was reduced to 180 minutes after the edits. The changes, however, did not sit well with the audiences. According to Sippy, "There were some people in the audience who had seen these tracks in earlier shows." "When they discussed it with their friends, and the latter didn't see it in new shows, they started demanding those scenes," he continued.

About 'Sholay'

The film's ensemble cast, featuring cinematic legends like Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, and Sanjeev Kumar, along with Amjad Khan in his career-defining role as the villain Gabbar Singh, created an unforgettable cinematic experience.