**Sydney Film Festival to Screen ‘Sholay’ with Original Ending**
*By Shreya Mukherjee | Sep 24, 2025, 01:41 PM*
The iconic Bollywood film **Sholay**, featuring legendary actors Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, and Jaya Bachchan, is set to be screened at the upcoming Indian Film Festival of Sydney (IFFS) with its original ending.
This special screening follows the film’s successful presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where audiences experienced director Ramesh Sippy’s original vision of the classic. The IFFS will be held from October 9 to 11, 2025.
### Film Restoration Brings Back Original Ending
The restored version of *Sholay* includes the original ending, in which Sanjeev Kumar’s character, Thakur, kills the notorious villain Gabbar Singh. This ending was initially rejected by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) due to its violent content. As a result, an alternate ending was shot where Thakur hands over Gabbar Singh to the police.
Thanks to meticulous restoration efforts, the original, more intense conclusion has been reinstated, offering fans the complete and authentic cinematic experience as intended by the filmmaker.
### Festival Insights: Restoring the Creator’s Vision
The decision to showcase *Sholay*’s original ending at IFFS has been met with overwhelming enthusiasm from audiences and cinephiles alike. Mitu Bhowmick Lange, director of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), the presenting body behind the festival, commented on the significance of this restoration:
> “To bring back the film’s original ending after all these years is to restore not just a different final scene but the full vision of its creator.”
This rare opportunity allows viewers to reconnect with a beloved classic through the lens of its authentic storytelling, making the screening a must-watch event at this year’s festival.
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Stay tuned for more updates on the Indian Film Festival of Sydney and other exciting screenings celebrating Indian cinema.
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