Sydney’s Indian Film Festival is gearing up for an exciting highlight: the Australian premiere of the newly restored classic Bollywood film Sholay. Directed by Ramesh Sippy, this iconic movie returns in stunning 4K quality, thanks to the team behind the popular Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.
The festival runs from October 9 to 11, packing three days of vibrant celebrations for Indian cinema. Organizers spotlight Sholay as the centerpiece, drawing fans to relive one of Bollywood’s greatest hits.
Film Heritage Foundation teamed up with Sippy Films for this meticulous restoration. They tracked down a rare color reversal print in London and uncovered original camera negatives plus long-lost deleted scenes from a Mumbai warehouse. The result? A breathtaking revival that brings back the film’s original 70mm format, complete with its true ending. In this version, Thakur finally avenges his family by taking down the villain Gabbar Singh—just as Ramesh Sippy intended.
This Sydney screening comes hot on the heels of Sholay‘s world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month. Festival Director Mitu Bhowmick Lange couldn’t hide her enthusiasm. "Sholay is more than a film—it’s woven into the fabric of Indian storytelling, memory, and myth," she said. "Bringing back its original ending after all these years restores not just a different final scene, but the full vision of its creator. As we mark 50 years of Sholay, we honor the courage of cinema to challenge, endure, and be reborn in its truest form. We’re thrilled that Sydney audiences will now see the film as it was always meant to be seen."
Beyond Sholay, the Indian Film Festival of Sydney offers more than 15 carefully selected films in various languages, genres, and formats. Expect lively filmmaker chats, retrospectives, and panels that dive into Indian cinema’s rich legacy and bright future.
The event keeps pushing its goal of connecting cultures through powerful stories, blending timeless tales with fresh voices in Bollywood and beyond.
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