In a candid conversation with filmmaker Farah Khan, Bollywood superstar Salman Khan expressed his desire to remake the iconic 1975 film Sholay, which was written by the legendary screenwriting duo Salim-Javed and directed by Ramesh Sippy. The original film, a cornerstone of Indian cinema, starred Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Jaya Bachchan, and Hema Malini in pivotal roles and is often hailed as one of the greatest Indian films of all time.
During the discussion, Farah posed an intriguing question to Salman, asking which Salim-Javed film he would choose to remake. Salman’s response was quick and decisive: “I’d make Sholay and Deewar.” When Farah followed up, asking if he would prefer to play Jai (originally played by Amitabh Bachchan) or Veeru (originally played by Dharmendra), Salman playfully replied, “I can play both, Jai and Veeru. Gabbar also.” This lighthearted comment prompted laughter from the round table, which included filmmakers Zoya Akhtar, Namrata Rao, and others. Zoya and Namrata agreed that Salman embodies Veeru’s spirited persona, but Salman seemed confident he could handle the complexities of all three roles.
Salman’s father, Salim Khan, who co-wrote Sholay with Javed Akhtar, chimed in with an interesting anecdote. He revealed that nearly every male star in the film’s original cast expressed a desire to play the iconic villain Gabbar Singh, a role that eventually went to Amjad Khan. “Everybody in the film’s star cast had gone to Ramesh Sippy personally to tell him, ‘Main yeh role karunga (I want to do this role),’” Salim shared. Javed Akhtar added that even Amitabh Bachchan and Sanjeev Kumar had shown interest in playing Gabbar. “Amitabh said, ‘Aap yeh role mujhe de dijiye (You give me the role),’” Javed recalled. However, Dharmendra was content with his role as Veeru, and the rest, as they say, is history.
In addition to his thoughts on remaking Sholay, Salman also opened up about the split between Salim and Javed during an episode of the recently released docuseries Angry Young Men. Reflecting on the end of their partnership, Salman recounted a memory from his childhood when Salim Khan returned home visibly disturbed. “I remember when the partnership broke off, my dad came home, and he was disturbed. He said, ‘Javed wants to break up.’ I asked if there was a reason, but all he said was, ‘If he wants to go, he wants to go.’ That’s all he said,” Salman revealed.
Sholay, which released on August 15, 1975, remains a monumental film in Indian cinema, and Salman Khan’s desire about its potential remake have certainly sparked interest among fans and industry insiders alike.
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