Restored Original Version of ‘Sholay’ to Premiere at Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival

The iconic 1975 Indian film ‘Sholay’ will have its world premiere in a fully restored and uncut form at the Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Bologna, Italy, on June 27, 2025. Directed by Ramesh Sippy and written by the legendary screenwriting duo Salim-Javed, ‘Sholay’ is considered one of the greatest Indian films ever made. The new 204-minute version will feature the original ending and two previously unseen scenes, marking the first time the film will be screened as initially envisioned.

The restoration took three years and was led by the Film Heritage Foundation in collaboration with Sippy Films. It required extensive work due to the poor condition of the original camera negatives. Key materials were sourced from archives in London and Mumbai, including color reversal intermediates and magnetic sound elements. This version restores the film’s 70mm format and 5.1 sound.

The cast features legendary actors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, and Amjad Khan. Despite its initial lukewarm reception, ‘Sholay’ went on to become a cultural phenomenon, running for five years in theaters and influencing generations of filmmakers. The Bologna screening in the Piazza Maggiore will be a major event, drawing international cinephiles to celebrate the film’s 50th anniversary and its legacy in Indian and global cinema.