Sholay Turns 50: Restored 4K Version to Premiere in Toronto, Fans Ask — "What About India?"

Sholay, often hailed as the greatest film in Indian cinema history, is set to complete 50 years since its release next week. To mark this golden jubilee, the Film Heritage Foundation has restored the iconic film in 4K — but instead of premiering it in India, the big screening is happening in Toronto, leaving fans back home disappointed.

On Friday, the Film Heritage Foundation announced on social media that the 4K restored version of *Sholay* will have its North American premiere at the 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The screening is scheduled for September 6, 2025, at the prestigious 1800-seater Roy Thomson Hall. The event, being billed as a grand gala, aims to honour the legendary status of Ramesh Sippy’s 1975 classic.

“Indian cinematic epic ‘Sholay’ (1975), directed by Ramesh Sippy, celebrates 50 years with the North American Premiere of the restored version at TIFF,” the organisation wrote, sharing the official poster of the re-release.

The restoration was done by the Film Heritage Foundation in collaboration with Sippy Films Pvt. Ltd., bringing the ‘curry western’ back to life in ultra-high definition.

While the announcement was welcomed with excitement, Indian fans were quick to flood the comments with one big question: *When will it release in India?* Despite *Sholay*’s 50th anniversary falling on August 15, there has been no official word about any re-release of the restored version in Indian theatres.

“Please bring it to Regal. I saw it as a child at the now-defunct Strand Theatre in Colaba,” one nostalgic fan wrote. Another urged, “I hope FHF partners with PVR-INOX or Cinepolis to have a countrywide release in India! Sholay is a masterpiece that ought to be seen by everyone in all its glory.”

A more emotional plea read: “India awaits a countrywide release! Ramesh Sippy sir should have a gala premiere at the New Excelsior, Mumbai, where it originally premiered in 1975.”

Back in 2005, for its 30th anniversary, Sholay had a successful theatrical re-release in a 70mm restored format, which performed well at the box office. This time around, fans were expecting something even bigger — but with no India release in sight, the Toronto premiere has left many feeling left out.

Released in 1975, Sholay changed the landscape of Indian cinema. With a stellar cast featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Hema Malini, and Jaya Bachchan, the film blended action, emotion, drama, and unforgettable dialogue to become an all-time classic. It broke every box office record at the time and still holds the record for the highest number of footfalls for any Indian film — over 25 crore globally.

While it may no longer be the highest-grossing film, Sholay remains, in spirit and memory, the biggest.

Now, with the restored version making its way to an international audience, Indian fans are hoping their turn will come soon. After all, if any film deserves a grand homecoming, it's Sholay.