Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Sholay: In a class of its own
Sholay – the movie that changed the Bollywood landscape forever, turned 50 this year. The characters – Jai-Veeru, Thakur, Basanti, and, of course, the infamous Gabbar Singh with his lackeys, Kalia and Sambha, entered our psyches and have lived there since. Movies became pre-Sholay and post-Sholay. Before Sholay, it was the songs and the music of films that became popular; but along came Sholay, which put out not just the songs but the entire film’s soundtrack on vinyl records and a set of two cassettes! Its songs became chartbusters, and so did its iconic dialogues and background score that got etched in our minds.
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For us lucky ones who watched it in theaters back in 1975, Sholay wasn’t just a movie; it was an experience that became an abiding memory… “When we went to watch Sholay….”
At that point, we were too young to even know about Westerns or to wonder about what inspired Sholay. Later, we came to know of the influence of Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West, Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, and the remake The Magnificent Seven. However, it doesn’t take away from Sholay’s magic because what Ramesh Sippy wove with these bits and pieces was a unique memory quilt that was far greater than the sum of its parts.
Magic made from just the right stuff
Everyone growing up in the 70s has a Sholay memory. Mine includes my until-then fearless cousin, who started having nightmares about Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan). I, surprisingly, didn’t. It gave me the chance to snigger and airily say, “It’s just a movie, silly!”
Is it, though? No, it is magic, it is legend. It is tough to explain Sholay’s magic, but let me try. While re-watching the film recently, I marveled at the magic of the perfect editing – how every scene was cut just at the right moment. Neither did the romance become diabetes-inducing, nor did the comedy become repetitive and inane; most importantly, the violence was implied.
The navarasas of Sholay
And then, my recently reawakened interest in dance – Nritya and Abhinaya – popped into my mind unbidden, and connected with Sholay. Abhinaya, in our classical context, encompasses navarasa, or the nine primary emotions. Sholay, not surprisingly, has all nine. This revenge saga revolves primarily around the raudra ras (fury) in Thakur’s (Sanjeev Kumar) simmering rage against Gabbar Singh, who is the embodiment of Vibhatsa, the repulsive. The tobacco-spitting, unwashed and scruffy Gabbar makes one recoil with disgust. He is also representative of bhaya (fear). The spine-chilling massacre of Thakur’s entire family and the anguish that engulfs him exude sheer terror. And who can forget Gabbar Singh’s maniacal laughter and his spine-chilling, “yeh haath hamein de de Thakur”.
The adbhut (wonder) is created when the armless Thakur recruits two hoodlums to help him capture the notoriously invincible Gabbar. Which leads us to veer ras, (the heroic), when the daredevil duo, Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) and Veeru (Dharmendra), accept the challenge with only courage and cunning on their side.
This track might have been a heavy watch had it not been for shringar (love and beauty) in the form of the live-wire Basanti (Hema Malini), and Veeru’s single-minded wooing of her. Veeru’s pursuit is aided and abetted by an insouciant Jai, persuading the incredulous mausi to give Basanti’s hand to his wastrel friend. Along with Amitabh and Dharmendra’s impeccable comic timing, the hasya ras (laughter) is carried by Asrani’s unforgettable Angrezon ke zamane ka jailer and Jagdeep’s Soorma Bhopali.
And then the ingenious addition of the shant and karun ras (peace and compassion) lifts the movie heads and shoulders above the usual vendetta tales. The unspoken tenderness between Jai and Radha (Jaya Bhaduri) was skillfully woven into a story of vengeance. An unforgettable moment of unspoken affection came in the scene where Radha lights the lanterns as the dusk descends, and Jai plays the harmonica. No words, just the wistful tune. And then the tragic slip between the cup and the lip, when Jai dies just as Radha is beginning to dream again.
So, do the navarasas comprehensively capture the magic that is Sholay? Not quite. It’s extraordinary how everything comes together just right – the talent, the story, the music. Let’s just call it magic and watch it again! For those of you who have vaguely heard about Sholay from your parents, watch it with them and see their faces light up for their Sholay memories!