Editing Sholay (section)

=== Critical response ===
Initial critical reviews of ''Sholay'' were negative. Among contemporary critics, K.L. Amladi of ''[[India Today]]'' called the film a "dead ember" and "a gravely flawed attempt".{{sfn|Chopra|2000|p=161}}<ref>{{cite web |last=Amladi |first=K. L. |date=15 December 1975 |title=Sholay in totality is a depressing film |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-and-the-arts/films/story/19751215-sholay-in-totality-is-a-depressing-film-824046-2014-07-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724160501/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-and-the-arts/films/story/19751215-sholay-in-totality-is-a-depressing-film-824046-2014-07-05 |archive-date=24 July 2023 |access-date=24 July 2023 |website=[[India Today]]}}</ref> ''[[Filmfare]]'' said that the film was an unsuccessful mincing of Western style with Indian [[Social environment|milieu]], making it an "imitation western—neither here nor there."{{Sfn|Chopra|2000|p=161}} Others labelled it as "sound and fury signifying nothing" and a "second-rate take-off" of the 1971 film ''Mera Gaon Mera Desh''.<ref name="telegraph" /> Trade journals and columnists initially called the film a flop.{{sfn|Chopra|2000|pp=161–168}} In a 1976 article in the journal ''Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review'', author Michael Gallagher praised the technical achievement of the film, but otherwise criticised it stating, "As a spectacle it breaks new ground, but on every other level it is intolerable: formless, incoherent, superficial in human image, and a somewhat nasty piece of violence".{{sfn|Gallagher|1976|p=344}}

Over time, the critical reception to ''Sholay'' greatly improved; it is now considered a classic, and among the greatest Hindi-language films.<ref name="rediff1" />{{sfn|Chopra|2000|p=3}} In a 2005 BBC review, the well-rounded characters and simple narrative of the film were commended, but the comical cameos of Asrani and Jagdeep were considered unnecessary.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rajput |first=Dharmesh |date=17 August 2005 |title=''Sholay'' (1975) |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2005/08/17/sholay_2005_review.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007025157/http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2005/08/17/sholay_2005_review.shtml |archive-date=7 October 2012 |access-date=16 April 2013 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> On the film's 35th anniversary, the ''[[Hindustan Times]]'' wrote that it was a "trailblazer in terms of camera work as well as music," and that "practically every scene, dialogue or even a small character was a highlight."<ref>{{Cite news |date=15 August 2010 |title=Sholay completes 35 years |work=Hindustan Times |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/sholay-completes-35-years/story-gZIxKfIxNvLThEiQ05KYWP.html |url-status=live |access-date=27 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005160039/http://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/sholay-completes-35-years/story-gZIxKfIxNvLThEiQ05KYWP.html |archive-date=5 October 2015}}</ref> In 2006, The [[Film Society of Lincoln Center]] described ''Sholay'' as "an extraordinary and utterly seamless blend of [[Adventure film|adventure]], [[Comedy film|comedy]], [[Musical film|music and dance]]", labelling it an "indisputable classic".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sholay |url=http://filmlinccom.siteprotect.net/wrt/onsale06/sholay.html |access-date=21 December 2010 |publisher=[[Film Society of Lincoln Center]] |archive-date=21 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021150641/http://filmlinccom.siteprotect.net/wrt/onsale06/sholay.html |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Chicago Review'' critic Ted Shen criticised the film in 2002 for its formulaic plot and "slapdash" cinematography, and noted that the film "alternates between [[slapstick]] and melodrama".<ref name="shen chic reader" /> In their obituary of the producer G.P. Sippy, ''[[The New York Times]]'' said that ''Sholay'' "revolutionized Hindi filmmaking and brought true professionalism to Indian script writing".<ref name="nyt" />