Hema Malini says 'doosra Sholay banna mushkil hai' as the iconic film starring her with Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan clocks 50 years

It’s not often that a film continues to make headlines five decades after its release—but Sholay is no ordinary movie. As India prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary 1975 classic this Independence Day, Hema Malini, who portrayed the iconic chaacter of Basanti, shared her thoughts on being part of cinematic history that’s still referenced in the halls of Parliament. The movie directed by Ramesh Sippy starred Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Sanjeev Kapoor, Amjad Khan as well in characters that continue to remain etched in Hindi cinema forever.

“Humein khushi hoti hai. Jab kaam karna shuru kiya tha tab maalom nahi tha, itna bada hit hoga, and after 50 years, you are going to ask me a question about that in Parliament,” Hema told ANI, expressing a mix of surprise and pride.


Sholay has earned its place as a cultural touchstone in Indian cinema. But it didn’t start out as a sure-fire success—initially, the film struggled to draw audiences. However, strong word-of-mouth soon transformed it into a record-breaking phenomenon.

Looking back, Hema reflected on how unimaginable its future impact was during its making. “That time mujhe kya maalom tha, hum Parliament mein aayenge. Woh waqt alag tha, picture bas bangayi. Dusra Sholay banana mushkil hai,” she remarked, underscoring the once-in-a-lifetime nature of the film.

With iconic characters, powerful storytelling, and unforgettable dialogue, Sholay went on to run for an astonishing five years at Mumbai’s Minerva Theatre, holding the title of India’s longest-running film until Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge came along.

From a modest start to becoming a part of national conversation half a century later, Sholay continues to stand tall as a monumental achievement in Indian cinema.