Sholay 50 Years Hema Malini Interview | ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’ was shot in the scorching heat: Know why Hema Malini was ready to play a small role in ‘Sholay’

Even after five decades, the iconic film ‘Sholay’ is discussed among the people. Not only the film’s big and big characters and their dialogues are famous, but it has its own interesting stories. Today, 50 years have been released for ‘Sholay’.

The film ‘Sholay’ is the story of two criminals Veeru (Dharmendra) and Jai (Amitabh Bachchan), who calls a retired police officer (Sanjeev Kumar) to catch the dreaded bandit Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan). In the film, Hema Malini played Basanti and Jaya Bachchan played Radha. Recently, Hema Malini shared many interesting things related to the film in a conversation with Dainik Bhaskar.

Question: How was the audience reaction initially after the film ‘Sholay’ release?

answer: ‘Sholay’ was an iconic film, she became, but it was not so at the time of release. The change over which took place back and forth in 20 days of its release was amazing. The picture with two interval was very long. People were silent after watching the film. After watching the Narmali film, people in the theater chill-chili, ha-hau, wow what is the matter etc. After seeing this picture, no one was saying anything.

Seeing the reaction of the people, Ramesh Sippy was a bit upset that the film is not long, perhaps that is why people do not like it. He had said that I am going to cut a lot of scenes, saying that he also cut some scenes. He felt that the film would run now, but after that it turned upside down. People started quarreling. The public started asking that there was a scene in the film, it was a scene, where is all that, why cut it?

Then the people associated with the film understood that the public is liking it. All the cut scenes were added again. There was such a repeat value to see the picture that everyone was stunned. Till date this did not happen with any film. This film started like this.

Apart from ‘Sholay’, Ramesh Sippy and Hema Malini have worked together in films like ‘Andj’, ‘Sita and Geeta’ and ‘Shimla Mirchi’.

Question: When you got the role of ‘Basanti’ in the film, what was your first response?

answer: Before signing the picture, director Ramesh Sippy told me the story and told about the character ‘Basanti’. Then I said that this is a very small role, what will I do in it? You have made ‘Sita and Gita’ with me. After doing the film, it seems that I do not have any role in it.

I was saying the same again and again, but she explained that it is not so. After the release of the picture, your role will be so highlight that you will not know yourself. Just say ‘yes’ and do this film. Do not refuse this picture.

Ramesh Sippy was my very good friend, so after a while I thought, “Come on, I do it.” I called ‘yes’ for the film. After the picture, I realized how good I had done. It is good that I accepted the role of Basanti. If he did not, he would regret it today, because this role was excellent and someone else could do it. Basanti could have become any heroine, but in my luck it was written that “Basanti” became only Hema Malini and “Hema Malini” should be Basanti.

Question: How was the shooting experience of the song ‘Yes Jab Tak Hai Jaan…’?

answer: Song ,Yes, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Jaane Jahan I dance ‘but I had no rehearsal, etc. It was shot directly on the set in Bangalore. I was already telling Ramesh Sippy that if you are shooting the song in the month of May, it will be very hot. Dancing in summer will be very painful, headache. If you shoot its shooting schedule in the month of November-December instead of May, it will be good. He said- “Not at all. I have to shoot it in the summer season itself. While dancing, your face should look clear, so it will be shot in May itself.”

In the hot summer of May, the song was shot for 15 consecutive days, which was quite difficult. But the result also came very good. Actually, Ramesh Sippy used to shoot this song, especially in a perticular time. We used to sit ready after making makeup, but when the sunlight came at the top of the head at 12 o’clock, they used to shoot in that sun.

Question: How was your experience with ‘Sholay’ shooting schedule and location?

answer: Everyone had different characters, so everyone used to shoot at different times. My separate, Dharam ji’s separate, someone else used to shoot at a different time. Sometimes in a scene we all used to be together, otherwise there were no together in any scene during shooting.

The entire set of the film was set up in Bangalore. We did not do a single scene inside the studio, the entire shooting took place in Bangalore itself. It took a year to make a film. We used to shoot 5 to 10 days in our month. After my 10 -day shooting, another artist used to come, then he was shot.

Such a series continued throughout the year. There were all people like Technician, Lightman, Spot Boy, Assistant Director, Direction Department, Art Department, Fight Master etc. permanently lived there. It had a robber and train sequence, so there used to be shooting in Bangalore and its surrounding villages.

In the film ‘Sholay’, Hema Malini played the role of Dharmendra’s girlfriend Basanti.

Question: What did you like in the role of ‘Basanti’?

answer: I acted in about 200 films. Played different characters, performed different types of songs, but people still remember ‘Sholay’ and ‘Sita and Geeta’. Viewers like fickle and happy girls on screen. There was a girl from Basanti village, a self -sufficient girl.

PM Modi ji says that all girls should be self -sufficient, but 50 years ago, Basanti with tanga had shown this by doing this. She used to live by driving her tanga alone. From above, she was not a city, but a village girl. Was very courageous. Who used to do this before?

In today’s era, girls are independent, but 50 years ago, Tangi Basanti was the role model of self -reliant girls.

Question: According to you, what was the reason for the success of ‘Sholay’?

answer: The film ran because its story and screenplays were excellent. Dialogues and songs were also very good. The performance was perfect, as the right actors in the film were cast. Whatever role was given, it sat perfectly accurate. In this, no one else can think of anyone else in this character. All the rolls were Taylor-Med. Thanks to the audience for keeping it in the discussion even after 50 years!