Javed Akhtar expresses anger at change of dialogue in ‘Sholay’ re-release
Renowned screenwriter Javed Akhtar has expressed outrage after learning that a celebrated line from ‘Sholay’ has been altered in the forthcoming re‑release, ‘Sholay – The Final Cut’. The film, due to arrive in cinemas on 12 December 2025, will feature the original ending never previously shown during the classic’s fifty‑year history.
Akhtar was incensed to discover that neither he, his long‑time collaborator Salim Khan, nor director Ramesh Sippy had been consulted before the change was made.
The controversy centres on a much‑loved exchange. In the original, Basanti (played by Hema Malini) remarks to Veeru (Dharmendra), “Bade nishaanchi lagte ho” (“you seem quite a sharpshooter”), to which Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) quips, “Haan, James Bond ke pote hain yeh” (“yes, he is the grandson of James Bond”). The line has endured for decades, becoming part of popular culture.
In the trailer for ‘Sholay – The Final Cut’, however, the James Bond reference has been replaced with “Haan, Tatya Tope ke pote hain yeh” (“yes, he is the grandson of Tatya Tope”), invoking the name of the Indian freedom fighter. The rationale behind this substitution remains unclear.
Related to this
.
.
IFFI 2025 cancels ‘Sholay’ screening, plans tribute to Dharmendra
.
ITVX picks up rights for ‘Sholay’ as tribute to Dharmendra
Akhtar’s response was swift and uncompromising: “I was not aware of this! You mean to say, they have replaced James Bond with Tatya Tope? What does this mean? And this is just one dialogue. They might have similarly changed other famous lines. The audience won’t accept this.” He warned that if one line had been tampered with, others might also have been altered.
He further questioned the legitimacy of the decision, noting that director Ramesh Sippy had not been consulted either. “We are the writers of those lines that are recited even today by fans of ‘Sholay’. The dialogues were so popular that Polydor (now Universal Music) even released an album of them, which outsold the soundtrack. No, you cannot tamper with this,” he declared firmly.
