I waited for a couple of days after 15th August to pen this article for the obvious reason that SHOLAY even after 40 years of its release may recieve more attention than articles on national spirit. Let me hasten to add that I do not mean undermine our national spirit but the impact the film Sholay has on our minds makes us hopelessly attracted to anything said or written on the film.

With such an impact this film has made on Indian mind it is but apt to call the film Sholay An Epic film to say the least. More apt and superlatives are invited by the readers.

The billion dollar question which remains unanswered even now and even by the makers of the film is Why or how did Sholay the film make such an impact?

As in a recent article appearing in the Times of India on the same subject the author Santhosh Gupta has rightly said (quote) It is at best a B grade Hindi film with all the masala a pot broiler should have. (Unquote).

Whereas I shall not venture to answer this billion dollar question I shall however say that each character big or small in the film each scene in the film has its or their own standing.

The guy with a pink turban when they were trying to corner Jay (played by Amitabh) what was his name....yes you are right Gulab Singh. Such an insignificant character yet we remember the character name even after 40 years.

If one of us are asked to mouth their favourite dialogue in the film Sholay I bet our minds become confused as to which we should pick as so many dialogues from this film rush into our minds.

I remember as a child when the film was released, as I was walking back from school at every restuarant and even in a cobbler make shift shop on the road side I could hear the cassettes playing Gabbar dialogues time and again.

Then there were variety of mimic shows and competitions on festival days on the dialogue delivery of Gabbar. Even as I pen this article my mind races back to those times 40 years back and devour those scenes both from the reel and real world connected to the epic film Sholay.

As Amjad Khan our favourite dammit Gabbar had said, Sippy saab has killed the character Gabbar. ..because never again this kind of character will ever come in Indian cinema"

Prophecy come true.

Sholay truly an epic film!