Editing Sholay (section)

== Legacy and cultural influence ==
''Sholay'' has received many "Best Film" honours. It was declared the "Film of the Millennium" by [[BBC India]] in 1999.<ref name="nyt" /> It topped the [[British Film Institute]]'s "Top 10 Indian Films" [[Films considered the greatest ever|of all time]] poll of 2002,<ref>{{Cite web |year=2002 |title=Top 10 Indian Films |url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/imagineasia/guide/poll/india |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515101729/http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/imagineasia/guide/poll/india/ |archive-date=15 May 2011 |access-date=14 June 2012 |publisher=[[British Film Institute]]}}</ref> and was voted the greatest Indian movie in a [[Sky (UK and Ireland)|Sky Digital]] poll of one million British Indians in 2004.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thambirajah, Mohan |date=27 May 2004 |title='Sholay' voted best Indian movie |work=[[New Straits Times]] |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-94953889.html |url-status=dead |access-date=25 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160225042453/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-94953889.html |archive-date=25 February 2016 |quote=SHOLAY has been voted the greatest Indian movie in a research by Sky Digital of one million Indians in Britain.}} {{link note|note=Partial story rendition from HighBeam.com archive.}}</ref> It was also included in the magazine ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''{{'}}s "Best of Bollywood" list in 2010,<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Corliss |first=Richard |date=27 October 2010 |title=Sholay&nbsp;– 1975&nbsp;– Best of Bollywood |url=https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2022076_2022067_2022045,00.html |url-status=live |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130828050259/http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0%2C28804%2C2022076_2022067_2022045%2C00.html |archive-date=28 August 2013 |access-date=30 July 2012}}</ref> and in [[IBN Live]]'s list of the "100 greatest Indian films of all time" in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 April 2013 |title=100 Years of Indian Cinema: The 100 greatest Indian films of all time |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/photogallery/13200-19.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425234438/http://ibnlive.in.com/photogallery/13200-19.html |archive-date=25 April 2013 |access-date=12 February 2014 |website=[[IBN Live]]}}</ref> In 2023, [[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]] ranked it #1 on its list of the "100 Best Bollywood Movies."<ref name="best">{{cite web |date=7 February 2023 |title=The 100 best Bollywood movies |url=https://www.timeout.com/film/the-100-best-bollywood-movies-the-list |access-date=28 November 2023 |work=[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]] |archive-date=20 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820130100/https://www.timeout.com/film/the-100-best-bollywood-movies-the-list |url-status=live }}</ref>

''Sholay'' inspired many films and [[pastiche]]s, and spawned a genre of films, the "Curry Western",{{sfnm|1a1=Dudrah|1a2=Desai|1y=2008|1p=5|2a1=Sparks|2y=2008|2p=157}} which is a play on the term [[Spaghetti Western]]. A more accurate label for the genre is the Dacoit Western, due to its roots in earlier Indian dacoit films such as ''[[Mother India]]'' (1957) and ''[[Gunga Jumna]]'' (1961).<ref name="Teo" /> It was also an early and most definitive [[masala film]],<ref name="uiowa" />{{sfn|Hayward|2006|p=67|ps=:"In its truest sense ''Sholay'' was perhaps ''the'' first Masala movie"}} and a trend-setter for "multi-star" films.{{sfn|Jain|2009|p=62}} The film was a watershed for scriptwriters in Hindi language films, who were not paid well before ''Sholay''; after the film's success, its writing duo Salim-Javed became stars in their own right and script writing became a more respected profession.<ref name="ndtv" /> The [[BBC]] has described ''Sholay'' as the "''[[Star Wars]]'' of Bollywood", comparing its impact on Hindi language films to the impact that ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' (1977) later had on [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]], while comparing Gabbar Singh to [[Darth Vader]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Verma |first=Rahul |date=14 August 2015 |title=Sholay: The Star Wars of Bollywood? |url=http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150813-sholay-the-star-wars-of-bollywood |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170509192533/http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150813-sholay-the-star-wars-of-bollywood |archive-date=9 May 2017 |access-date=28 November 2017 |publisher=BBC}}</ref>

[[File:Gabbar Singh dialogue from Sholay on the back of auto rickshaw.jpg|thumb|A line of Gabbar Singh (''Tera kya hoga'', meaning, "What will happen to you?") and a picture of him is painted on the back of an [[auto rickshaw]], a common mode of public transport. Dialogues and characters from the film have contributed to many cultural tropes in India's daily life.|alt=A dialogue and image of Gabbar Singh painted on the back of an auto rickshaw]]

Certain scenes and dialogues from the film earned iconic status in India, such as "''Kitne aadmi the''" (How many men were there?), "''Jo dar gaya, samjho mar gaya''" (One who is scared is dead), and "''Bahut yaarana laagta hai''" (Looks like you two are very close) – all dialogues of Gabbar Singh.<ref name="rediff1" />{{sfnm|1a1=Chopra|1y=2000|1pp=4–5|2a1=Jess-Cooke|2y=2009|2p=126}} These and other popular dialogues entered the people's daily vernacular.{{sfnm|1a1=Banerjee|1a2=Srivastava|1y=1988|1pp=166–169|2a1=Jess-Cooke|2y=2009|2p=126}} Characters and dialogues from the film continue to be referred to and parodied in popular culture.{{sfnm|1a1=Chopra|1y=2000|1pp=4–5|2a1=Ganti|2y=2004|2p=161}} Gabbar Singh, the sadistic villain, ushered in an era in Hindi films characterised by "seemingly omnipotent oppressors as villains", who play the pivotal role in setting up the context of the story, such as Shakal (played by [[Kulbhushan Kharbanda]]) of ''[[Shaan (1980 film)|Shaan]]'' (1980), Mogambo ([[Amrish Puri]]) of ''[[Mr. India (1987 film)|Mr. India]]'' (1987) and Bhujang (Amrish Puri) of ''[[Tridev]]'' (1989).{{sfn|Zankar|2003|p=365}} ''Filmfare'', in 2013, named Gabbar Singh the most iconic villain in the history of Indian cinema,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hashmi, Parampara Patil |date=3 May 2013 |title=Iconic villains of Indian cinema |url=http://www.filmfare.com/features/iconic-villains-of-indian-cinema-3038-2.html |url-status=live |journal=[[Filmfare]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111181042/http://www.filmfare.com/features/iconic-villains-of-indian-cinema-3038-2.html |archive-date=11 November 2013 |access-date=7 July 2013}}</ref> and four actors were included in its 2010 list of "80 Iconic Performances" for their work in this film.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1 June 2010 |title=Filmfare&nbsp;– 80 Iconic Performances 1/10 |url=http://www.filmfare.com/articles/80-iconic-performances-110-950.html |journal=Filmfare |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121065253/http://www.filmfare.com/articles/80-iconic-performances-110-950.html |archive-date=21 January 2012 |access-date=8 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=3 June 2010 |title=Filmfare&nbsp;– 80 Iconic Performances 2/10 |url=http://www.filmfare.com/articles/80-iconic-performances-210-952.html |journal=Filmfare |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705235640/http://www.filmfare.com/articles/80-iconic-performances-210-952.html |archive-date=5 July 2010 |access-date=8 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=6 June 2010 |title=Filmfare&nbsp;– 80 Iconic Performances 6/10 |url=http://www.filmfare.com/articles/80-iconic-performances-610-956.html |journal=Filmfare |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130506122601/http://www.filmfare.com/articles/80-iconic-performances-610-956.html |archive-date=6 May 2013 |access-date=8 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=10 June 2010 |title=Filmfare&nbsp;– 80 Iconic Performances 10/10 |url=http://www.filmfare.com/articles/80-iconic-performances-1010-991.html |journal=Filmfare |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203173146/http://www.filmfare.com/articles/80-iconic-performances-1010-991.html |archive-date=3 February 2011 |access-date=8 July 2013}}</ref>

The film is often credited with making Amitabh Bachchan a "superstar", two years after he became a star with ''[[Zanjeer (1973 film)|Zanjeer]]'' (1973).<ref name="uiowa" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Top Actor |url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/cpages.php?pageName=top_actors |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191201/http://boxofficeindia.com/cpages.php?pageName=top_actors |archive-date=29 October 2013 |access-date=13 October 2012 |publisher=Box Office India}}</ref> Some of the supporting actors remained etched in public memory as the characters they played in ''Sholay''; for example, [[Mac Mohan]] continued to be referred to as "Sambha", even though his character had just one line.<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 May 2010 |title='Sambha' Mac Mohan of 'Sholay' fame dies |work=The Times of India |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Sambha-Mac-Mohan-of-Sholay-fame-dies/articleshow/5914387.cms |url-status=live |access-date=14 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106153206/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Sambha-Mac-Mohan-of-Sholay-fame-dies/articleshow/5914387.cms |archive-date=6 November 2012}}</ref> Major and minor characters continue to be used in commercials, promos, films and sitcoms.<ref name="ndtv" />{{sfn|Chopra|2000|pp=4–5}} Amjad Khan acted in many villainous roles later in his career. He also played Gabbar Singh again in the 1991 spoof ''[[Ramgarh Ke Sholay]]'', and reprised the role in commercials.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Khanna |first=Parul |date=6 February 2010 |title=The most hilarious ads ever... |work=Hindustan Times |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/the-most-hilarious-ads-ever/story-w3DzJypz46bPExmxlqDJsI.html |url-status=live |access-date=17 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925073043/http://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/the-most-hilarious-ads-ever/story-w3DzJypz46bPExmxlqDJsI.html |archive-date=25 September 2015}}</ref> The British Film Institute in 2002 wrote that fear of Gabbar Singh "is still invoked by mothers to put their children to sleep".<ref>{{Cite web |year=2002 |title=1. Sholay (1975) |url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/imagineasia/guide/poll/india/01_sholay.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805124020/http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/imagineasia/guide/poll/india/01_sholay.html |archive-date=5 August 2011 |access-date=27 April 2013 |publisher=[[British Film Institute]]}}</ref> The 2012 film ''[[Gabbar Singh (film)|Gabbar Singh]]'', named after the character, became the highest-grossing [[Cinema of Andhra Pradesh|Telugu film]] up to that point.<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 July 2012 |title=Gabbar Singh highest grosser in south |work=[[India Today]] |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/gabbar-singh-highest-grosser/1/209129.html |access-date=3 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120719115946/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/gabbar-singh-highest-grosser/1/209129.html |archive-date=19 July 2012}}</ref> Comedian [[Jagdeep]], who played Soorma Bhopali in the film, attempted to use his ''Sholay'' success to create a spinoff. He directed and played the lead role in the 1988 film ''[[Soorma Bhopali]]'', in which Dharmendra and Bachchan had cameos.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 January 1988 |title=Soorma Bhopali (1988) Cast and Crew |url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/soorma-bhopali/cast/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161121104752/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/soorma-bhopali/cast/ |archive-date=21 November 2016 |access-date=24 February 2012 |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]}}</ref>

''Sholay'' was remade in [[Bangladesh]] as ''Dost Dushman'' (1977), becoming the first [[Cinema of Bangladesh|Dhallywood]] film to portray a number of lengthy action scenes, was condemned by many film critics for 'bringing violence' to the cinema screen in the country.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bollywood and Dhallywood: Contentions and Connections |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/forum/2011/August/bollywood.htm |website=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]] |date=2011-08-01}}</ref> In 2004, ''Sholay'' was digitally remastered and shown again to packed theatres in India, including Mumbai's Minerva, where it had run successfully 29&nbsp;years earlier.<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 August 2004 |title=29 years later, Sholay still rules |work=[[The Indian Express]] |url=http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=35028 |url-status=live |access-date=30 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109044928/http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=35028 |archive-date=9 November 2013}}</ref> Another attempt to remake ''Sholay'', [[Ram Gopal Varma]]'s film ''[[Aag (2007 film)|Aag]]'' (2007), starring Amitabh Bachchan as the villain, was a commercial and critical disaster.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Box Office 2007 |url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=214 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109040918/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=214 |archive-date=9 November 2013 |access-date=20 April 2013 |publisher=Box Office India}}</ref> Because of television and home media, ''Sholay'' is widely available and still popular. Twenty years after its release, ''Sholay'' was first shown on the Indian [[DD National]] television channel, where it drew the highest ratings ever for an Indian film broadcast.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mahmood |first=Rafay |date=5 April 2012 |title=Bollywood Masterpiece: Sholay in 3D |work=[[The Express Tribune]] |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/360123/bollywood-masterpiece-sholay-in-3d/ |url-status=live |access-date=12 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109035939/http://tribune.com.pk/story/360123/bollywood-masterpiece-sholay-in-3d/ |archive-date=9 November 2013}}</ref> Video game producer Mobile2win released the ''Sholay Ramgarh Express'' game for mobile phones in 2004, along with other ''Sholay'' themed content such as wallpapers, video clips, and ringtones; another video game ''Sholay: Bullets of Justice'' developed by [[Gameshastra]] has also been released.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bapna |first=Amit |date=2014-01-29 |title=Box office blockbuster Sholay: Ad man's favourite source of inspiration |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/box-office-blockbuster-sholay-ad-mans-favourite-source-of-inspiration/articleshow/29503479.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-11-28 |issn=0013-0389}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sholay - Bullets of Justice |url=http://vroovy.com/Vroovywebsite/v8/sholay-bullets-of-justice.html |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=vroovy.com |archive-date=11 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211173224/http://vroovy.com/Vroovywebsite/v8/sholay-bullets-of-justice.html |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Sholay Adventures'', a 2014 [[List of Indian animated films|Indian animated television film]] adaptation of ''Sholay'' aired on [[Pogo TV]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 January 2015 |title=Pogo and Graphic India presents Sholay Adventures |url=http://www.indiantelevision.com/television/tv-channels/kids/pogo-and-graphic-india-presents-sholay-adventures-150123 |access-date=4 June 2017 |archive-date=16 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170616091541/http://www.indiantelevision.com/television/tv-channels/kids/pogo-and-graphic-india-presents-sholay-adventures-150123 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2019, a film titled ''[[The Sholay Girl]]'', based on the stunt woman Reshma Pathan, was released. Pathan had worked as the body double for Malini in the film.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Aayushi |date=4 March 2019 |title=All You Need To Know About Reshma Pathan aka The Sholay Girl, India's First Stunt Woman |url=https://zeetv.zee5.com/all-you-need-to-know-about-reshma-pathan-aka-the-sholay-girl-indias-first-stunt-woman/ |access-date=10 March 2019 |publisher=Zee TV |archive-date=7 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807033401/https://zeetv.zee5.com/all-you-need-to-know-about-reshma-pathan-aka-the-sholay-girl-indias-first-stunt-woman/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

''Sholay'' has been the subject of two books and many articles. Wimal Dissanayake and Malti Sahai's ''Sholay, A Cultural Reading'' (1992) attempts a comprehensive scholarly study that sets the film within the broader history of popular cinema in India. [[Anupama Chopra]]'s ''[[Sholay: The Making of a Classic]]'' (2000) provides an inside look at the film's production based on interviews with the director, stars, and crew members.<ref name="ending" /><ref name="uiowa" />

''Sholay'' has been labelled by Chopra as the gold standard in Indian cinema, and a reference point for audiences and trade analysts. Over the years, the film has reached a mythic stature in popular culture,{{sfn|Chopra|2000|p=3}} and has been called the greatest Hindi film of all time.{{sfn|Dwyer|2005|p=218}} It belongs to only a small collection of films, including ''[[Kismet (1943 film)|Kismet]]'' (1943), ''[[Mother India]]'' (1957), ''[[Mughal-e-Azam]]'' (1960) and ''[[Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!]]'' (1994), which are repeatedly watched throughout India, and are viewed as definitive Hindi films with cultural significance.{{sfnm|Mishra|2002|1p=66|Morcom|2007|2pp=139–144}} The lasting effect of ''Sholay'' on Indian cinema was summarised by Anupama Chopra, when in 2004 she called it "no longer just a film, [but] an event".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ahmed |first=Zubair |date=18 August 2004 |title=Hindi classic pulls in the crowds |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3577790.stm |url-status=live |access-date=1 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623054743/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3577790.stm |archive-date=23 June 2012}}</ref> In the 2000 book ''Sholay: The Making of a Classic'', the noted director [[Shekhar Kapur]] stated "there has never been a more defining film on the Indian screen. Indian film history can be divided into ''Sholay'' BC and ''Sholay'' AD".{{sfn|Chopra|2000|loc=back cover}} The film was jointly released in Pakistan by [[Geo TV|Geo films]] and Mandviwalla Entertainment on 17 April 2015, almost 40 years after its theatrical release. The film's premiere in the country was held in [[Karachi]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 April 2015 |title='Sholay' releases in Pakistan |url=http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/sholay-releases-in-pakistan/article7117187.ece |access-date=19 April 2015 |website=The Hindu |agency=Press Trust of India |archive-date=30 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130151204/http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/sholay-releases-in-pakistan/article7117187.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>

Screenwriter [[V. Vijayendra Prasad]], responsible for a number of blockbusters in the early 21st century, including the South Indian franchise [[Baahubali (franchise)|''Baahubali'']] and the Hindi film ''[[Bajrangi Bhaijaan]]'' (starring Salim's son [[Salman Khan]]), cited ''Sholay'' as a major inspiration on his work.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Suhani |date=17 June 2017 |title=Baahubali writer KV Vijayendra Prasad is going places at 75 |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20170626-k-v-vijayendra-prasad-baahubali-writer-magadheera-986633-2017-06-17 |access-date=2022-05-08 |website=[[India Today]] |archive-date=8 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220508220818/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20170626-k-v-vijayendra-prasad-baahubali-writer-magadheera-986633-2017-06-17 |url-status=live }}</ref>