‘There was no Basanti or Radha’: Javed Akhtar recalls how Sholay was born as it turns 50

Before Jai and Veeru became legends, before Basanti danced with Dhanno and Gabbar Singh ruled the ravines, Sholay started with a much simpler setup, two former army men dismissed for indiscipline. That’s how the seed of the iconic film was first sown in the minds of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar.

Looking back at 50 years of Sholay, Javed Akhtar recalled that the original concept was quite different from the final version that achieved cult status.



“It was Salim sahab’s idea that we should make a film about a retired major and two recruits from the army who have been removed because of indiscipline... But then we had limitations from the army and we couldn’t take liberty, hence we changed the characters to a cop and (two) hoodlums,” he told PTI.

‘We just had a dacoit in mind’

There was no plan for Basanti, Radha or even a grand ensemble. Akhtar admitted that when they began writing, they were only thinking about a dacoit.

“At that point, we didn't think of Basanti or Radha, we just had a dacoit in mind. But gradually when the story got developed, a lot of characters came into the picture and we felt it could be a great multi-starrer. We did not plan it as a multi-starrer or a grand spectacle,” he said.

No idea they were making history

Directed by Ramesh Sippy, Sholay released on August 15, 1975, and featured Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan and Amjad Khan in unforgettable roles. Initially, the film struggled at the box office before gaining momentum and eventually becoming one of the most iconic films in Indian cinema.

Yet, Salim-Javed had no clue they were creating something “timeless.”

“I believe the canvas of the film was such that it just became timeless; it was not done intentionally. There was no deliberate attempt to do that,” Akhtar explained.

He called Sholay a “symphony of human emotions” that simply fell into place, from friendship and revenge to rural simplicity and urban wit.

‘1975 changed our lives’

The year 1975 was a turning point for both Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, with not just Sholay but also Deewar and Aandhi redefining Hindi cinema.

“With the release of Deewar and Sholay, we earned money, garnered recognition, and made a name for ourselves. So the year 1975 was an important year,” he added.




'I would never rewrite Sholay'

When asked if he would rewrite the story today, Akhtar was quick to refuse.

“I would not change anything in Sholay. I would never rewrite Sholay. We made it the way it is. I'm glad so many people appreciated the film, and still talk about it with fondness.”

The original ending returns after 50 years

In June this year, a restored version of Sholay was screened at an international film festival in Italy. The new cut included six minutes of extra footage, including the original ending where Thakur (Sanjeev Kumar) kills Gabbar (Amjad Khan)—a scene that was originally censored during the Emergency.

“At that time, I was unhappy and disappointed that the ending was being changed but we had no choice but to do it,” Akhtar revealed.



If Jai and Veeru lived in 2025...

And if the iconic duo were alive today, what would they be doing? Akhtar laughed and replied:

“They would be in the corporate world. They are so badmaash, where else would they go?”