THE REUNION OF SHOLAY AT THE SCREENING OF DOCU-SERIES ANGRY YOUNG MEN

By

RUBY ZAIDI

The docu-series Angry Young Men is around legendary screenplay writers Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan, they wrote more than a dozen blockbusters together including the masterpiece Sholay.

Sholay is a cinematic marvel that has not only stood the test of time but has also become a cultural phenomenon.

A docu-series Angry Young Men (Salim-Javed) has been released, it’s the perfect moment to write a few words about Sholay an eternal masterpiece.

The film Sholay is a Dacoit Western (sometimes called a “Curry Western”), combining the conventions of Indian dacoit films with that of Spaghetti Westerns along with elements of Samurai cinema. Sholay is also a defining example of the masala film, which mixes several genres in one work.

The story is the backbone of a film and Salim-Javed was a marvelous writer, docu-series Angry Young Men is trending for all the right reasons. Farhan Akhtar treated his Instagram fans to a picture featuring himself, Javed Akhtar, Salim Khan, and Ramesh Sippy. Fans were quick to spot it’s a big Sholay reunion. Farhan Akhtar wrote in the caption, “They lit the fire in Sholay. Angry Young Men is available to watch on Amazon Prime. Dekha kya?” Farhan shared a picture from the special screening of Angry Young Men. FYI, Javed Akhtar-Salim Khan wrote the script of the film while Ramesh Sippy directed Sholay.

Sholay was the first Indian film to have a stereophonic soundtrack and to use the 70 mm widescreen format. However, since actual 70 mm cameras were expensive at the time, the film was shot on traditional 35 mm film, and the 4:3 picture was subsequently converted to a 2.2:1 frame.

While some scenes may be cringe-worthy by today’s standards, Sholay remains a classic that has left an indelible mark on Indian cinema. Its enduring popularity and relevance, even half a century later, are a testament to its storytelling prowess and cultural impact.

If we talk about the performances of the actors, each and every one was brilliant.

Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh is still popular amongst the new generation. Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, Sanjeev Kumar, Asrani, Jagdeep, and A.K. Hangal were a phenomenon.

Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar were at their best, they were the first from the writers’ community who were praised and lauded like Superstars, these two writers earned respect, name, fame, and money. Also, they made the Industry understand the importance of the writers.