Fans of Indian cinema are in for a historic treat. Sholay - The Final Cut, a fully restored 4K version of Ramesh Sippy’s iconic 1975 epic, will hit 1,500 screens across India on December 12, 2025. For the very first time, the fans will witness the film’s original ending, which was altered before its initial release due to censorship during India’s Emergency.
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What to expect?
As per reports, this long-discussed but never publicly viewed climax shows Thakur taking his revenge on Gabbar Singh with his spiked shoes, a dramatic ending that the Central Board of Film Certification had considered too violent in 1975. Finally, with this re-release, Sippy's full version of Sholay can be seen as it was actually intended, with all the raw emotional intensity and narrative power of this undisputed classic.
Anniversary edition draws global attention
Announcing the release, Film Heritage Foundation wrote on social media, “The wait is finally over!! “Sholay - The Final Cut”, restored by Film Heritage Foundation in 4K with the original ending being seen for the first time, is slated to be released by Sippy Films in 1500 screens across India on December 12, 2025!!!”
This 50th anniversary edition is part of the film’s ongoing legacy celebrations, which also included a recent screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, introducing the classic to new audiences worldwide.
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The influence of Sholay upon Indian cinema is not possible to evaluate. Its ensemble cast — Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, and Amjad Khan — delivered performances that became instantly iconic. The film’s dialogues, characters, and larger-than-life storytelling have become embedded in India’s cultural memory, quoted, parodied, and celebrated for generations.
Despite decades of cinematic evolution, Sholay remains one of the most-watched films in Indian history, with over 25 crore admissions worldwide.
While the exact theatres and screening details are yet to be announced, almost five decades later, audiences will finally see Sholay as it was meant to be seen - in its full intensity, uncut and unforgettable.
