Five decades after the release of the iconic Bollywood film Sholay, director and producer Ramesh Sippy has revealed tense moments during filming that could have dramatically changed the movie’s history.
Released in 1975, Sholay starred Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Amjad Khan, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, and Jaya Bachchan, and is widely regarded as one of Indian cinema’s most influential films.
In an interview with the media, Sippy disclosed that during one action sequence, Dharmendra accidentally fired a gun that was meant to be loaded but not shot. Amitabh Bachchan was standing nearby at the time, and the bullet narrowly missed him.
Sippy said the incident shocked everyone on set. Cinematographer Jim Allen, furious, initially refused to continue shooting, citing safety concerns. The situation was eventually defused after Dharmendra apologized and the crew ensured stricter safety measures before resuming the shoot.
Sippy also recounted another dramatic moment when Dharmendra and Amitabh went missing during a jungle shoot. The crew was uncertain whether the actors had wandered off for fun or were genuinely lost. After hours of searching, the actors returned, explaining that their vehicle had broken down and they had taken a rickshaw back to the hotel.
These behind-the-scenes revelations highlight the unforeseen dangers and challenges faced during the making of one of India’s most celebrated films.
