Sholay turns 50: Did you know Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra were NOT the original choice for Jai-Veeru?
Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra in Sholay Photograph: (X)
Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra made Jai and Veeru iconic in Sholay. But did you know that the actors were not the first choices for the characters and the roles were offered to other actors before the roles came to them?
Ramesh Sippy's iconic film Sholay turns 50 on 14 August. The film, that changed the fabric of Bollywood forever, has remained relevant and cult for five long decades. Each character of the film has remained iconic to date. While actor Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra were already stars when they were cast in Sholay, the success of the film catapulted them both to super stardom and gave their careers a fresh lease. Their onscreen camaraderie as Jai and Veeru remains a reference point for all buddy films in Indian cinema to this date. However, Bachchan and Dharmendra were not the first choice for the film.
Big B and Dharmendra were not the first choice for Sholay
Bachchan's intensity and brooding take on his character Jai left a lasting impression on the audience, but he was not the first choice for the role. Actor Shatrughan Sinha was reportedly offered the role of Jai before it went to Big B. In a 2023 interview, Sinha revealed he was approached for both Sholay and Deewar but could not do the films owing to creative differences and packed shooting schedules.
Dharmendra, meanwhile, was initially considered for the role of Thakur and briefly even for Gabbar Singh. In an interview with ANI, Dharmendra stated that he was more keen to the role of Veeru- a decision that paid off in the long run. Dharmendra also revealed that it was he who recommended Bachchan's name for the role of Jai to director Ramesh Sippy. The writers of the film, the iconic duo Salim-Javed, who had worked with Bachchan in Zanjeer, were also on board with the idea of the actor playing Jai, and Bachchan lobbied hard to be a part of the film.
The film eventually became a milestone in both Bachchan and Dharmendra's careers, and the characters Jai and Veeru remain one of the most loved pairs in Indian cinema. One can't possibly imagine any other actor playing these characters other than these two actors who made for the best on-screen partners in crime.
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Five decades on, Sholay continues to fascinate and thrill audiences across the world with its story, characters and dialogues. Written by Salim-Javed, and directed by Ramesh Sippy, Sholay eventually became a masterclass in storytelling- blending multiple genres into one film. Apart from Bachchan and Dharmendra, the film also starred Sanjeev Kumar as Thakur, Amjad Khan as Gabbar, Jaya Bachchan as Radha and Hema Malini as Basanti. The film also had memorable cameos by AK Hangal, Sachin, Asrani and others.
