It has been 50 years since the release of Ramesh Sippy's legendary film Sholay, starring Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Amjad Khan, Dharmendra, and Hema Malini, among others. While many regard Ramesh Sippy's film as one of the greatest-ever films in Indian cinema history, it is not without its detractors. One of the prominent names in the Indian film industry, who do not think as highly of the Ramesh Sippy directorial as everyone else, is actor Naseeruddin Shah.
In an old interview with Glamsham, Naseeruddin said that while he found the film entertaining, he does not regard it as a great film. It is worth noting that Naseeruddin's comment also applied broadly to Amitabh Bachchan's career as a whole, not just the film in question. "He has not made a single great film. I do not consider Sholay a great film. Sure, it is an entertaining film, but it is not a great film from any angle," said Naseeruddin back then. While Naseeruddin shared that Amitabh Bachchan is undoubtedly a great actor, he also questioned the latter's choices.
Naseeruddin has also questioned the film's originality in a conversation with its co-writer Javed Akhtar (the other being Salim Khan). At the India Film Project (IFP) Season 14 last year, the actor revealed that he once told Javed that he copied Charlie Chaplin and Clint Eastwood's films for the classic Western.
Interestingly, Sholay is also a criticised film at the time of its release, with some reportedly calling a potential disaster at the box office. However, the film's greatest legacy is that it has defied all the criticism and cemented its status in the annals of Indian cinema.
