Still in love with an old flame

Sholay, restored and uncut, was the best film I watched last year. I left the theatre surprised: How, 50 years on, is it still this spellbinding?

- Poonam Saxena

Towards the end of December, I watched the restored, original version of Sholay at a Delhi theatre. I hadn't expected to be enthralled, but I couldn't take my eyes off the screen.

Like so many millions of us, I have seen Sholay multiple times. I know much of the dialogue by heart. I remember the scenes almost frame by frame. Before watching the film again, I did have some qualms: suppose I was disappointed? I wasn’t prepared to have my shining memories of the film tarnished in any way. I needn't have worried. I sat, enchanted, all through.

I laughed at Veeru’s (Dharmendra) antics, at Basanti’s (Hema Malini) chatter. I felt uneasy prickles on my skin every time Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan) appeared on screen. I cried for Thakur’s (Sanjeev Kumar) devastated world. And cried again when Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) died on that lonely road.

I left the theatre a bit surprised: How is it that, 50 years later, with umpteen viewings in-between, Sholay remains as spellbinding as ever? I don’t want to over-analyse my compelling cinematic experience, but here's what I came to quite spontaneously.