Meet the characters of Sholay
Celebrating 35 years in Indian Cinema, re-introducing the characters of Sholay.
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Jai
Jai is the strong silent and stoic kinds. But don't be fooled, the sarcastic humour is always at his lips. Amitabh Bachchan's character would be completely amiss without his trademark 'coin'. At the time, the crew was apprehensive of bringing Bachchan to play Jai because he was a relative newcomer in the industry. -
Veeru
Sholay's Veeru, played by Dharmendra, is nothing but trouble. His love for Basanti, foolish antics and quirky fun-loving behaviour had the masses cheering him on. Of course, the scene with him at the top of the water tank, threatening to commit suicide, is legendary. -
Basanti
Hema Malini's Basanti can be compared to a non-stop automatic verbal gun. This infamous buggy driver talks so much that it warrants the viewer to gasp for breath on behalf of her. The legendary character definition is with Jai's simple question, "Tumhara naam kya hai Basanti?" -
Radha
Radha, played by Jaya Bhaduri-Bachchan, is the quiet widow, who keeps to herself. Her role didn't need the little dialogue written up for her because she used her big soulful eyes to communicate. It also didn't stop her from conveying her love for Jai. -
Gabbar
Gabbar is perhaps the most feared villains in Bollywood history. Even in real life, mothers used to tell their children, "So jao, nahin to Gabbar aa jayega!" Though Amjad Khan has done a number of other roles, this was his most revered character. Lucky for him, Danny Donezgappa refused the role initially. -
Mausi
Mausiji is the quintessential Indian woman who fears for the well-being of her niece. The fears and her concerns for the young ones is heartwarming and easy to relate with. Then again, Leela Mishra could probably have got a PhD in playing the mother in Indian cinema. -
Soorma Bhopali
Jagdeep made a guest appearance with his character of Soorma Bhopali. With his regular flair of comical relief and dialogue delivery, Soorma Bhopali's character is etched in the minds of the audience. In one of the scenes, one can even see Amitabh almost burst into laughter for a split second during the shot and was not properly edited. -
Sambha
When Gabbar says, "Arre oh Sambha!" All eyes turn towards the man who must answer to the most terrifying dacoit in the history of Indian cinema. Mac Mohan is so fondly remembered for his little role in the movie that he was even brought in for a scene as 'the actor who played Sambha' in Luck by chance.
