On 15 August 1975, Ramesh Sippy’s ‘Sholay’ exploded onto the silver screen, redefining how India saw spectacle, drama, and heroism. As the film completes 50 years tomorrow, countless stories from its legendary sets continue to surface — each offering a fresh glimpse into its making. One such storyteller is actor-director Sachin Pilgaonkar, who, at just 16, found himself part of the ‘Sholay’ universe. His role as Ahmed may have been brief, but its emotional weight left an indelible mark on audiences.“Being part of ‘Sholay’ in itself was a big thing… it’s an epic,” Sachin says with a smile that still carries the awe of his teenage self.
‘Playing Dead’ as Ahmed in ‘Sholay’— A role that spoke volumes
Sachin vividly remembers his very first shot — lying still in the village square, playing dead. “Everybody was involved in that scene — Jai (Amitabh Bachchan), Veeru (Dharmendra), Thakur (Sanjeev Kumar), Rahim Chacha (A K Hangal) — everyone except Gabbar (Amjad Khan). I had no dialogues, but that gave me a chance to observe. It was the turning point of the film. Ahmed’s death was felt deeply, which made the character important despite its short screen time. Length never matters; the strength of the character does,” he relayed.
The logic behind Dharmendra’s iconic water tank sequence and Jaya Bachchan ‘s lighting lamp act
For a teenager still finding his footing in cinema, Sholay’s set was a masterclass. Sachin recalls Dharamji’s iconic water-tank sequence: “It was too high, and Dharamji was playing drunk, threatening suicide. Such a picturesque scene, beautifully written and directed. I was young and curious… and I noticed little things.”One such detail still amuses him — Thakur’s haveli being lit by lamps in the evenings, implying there was no electricity in the richest house of the village. “If there’s no electricity, why have a huge water tank? And Gabbar’s gang staying in the same den for years — in real life, dacoits never stay put. But that’s the beauty of cinema. Sholay proved us that when you watch a great film, you keep logic in your pocket and let the magic take over.”
50 years later, the magic remains untouched
Sachin believes that Sholay’s staying power comes from more than just its technical brilliance. “It’s the characters, the writing, the emotions. Even Ahmed, a boy who dies early on, lives on in people’s memories because of the way the story is told. That’s what makes Sholay eternal.”As India celebrates half a century of this cinematic milestone, voices like Sachin’s remind us why Sholay is more than a movie — it’s a part of our collective memory, immune to the erosion of time… and logic.