Bollywood Home » Unforgettable Characters » Gabbar Singh Released in 1975, Sholay has become a milestone in Indian cinema. Very few Indian films have been able to attain such a dizzying height of fame and critical acclamation as Sholay has done. Directed by Ramesh Sippy, this film is by far the biggest blockbuster in the history of Bollywood. Initially perceived as a disaster mainly for its length, Sholay eventually turned out to be one of the phenomenal films ever made in the Hindi film industry. It ran for 286 consecutive weeks in Minerva, a Mumbai theater. 60 golden jubilee awards have been credited to this film so far, which is an all time record for any Indian film.

In 1999, BBC India adjudged the film as the Film of the Millennium. According to many critics, Sholay's stupendous success in the box office owes a great deal to Gabbar Singh - a timeless villain ever born in any fiction. This film starred a number of iconic actors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, Helen and of course, Amjad Khan - the actor who portrayed the role of Gabbar Singh in Sholay. As one of The Unforgettable Characters in Bollywood, Gabbar Singh in Sholay, quite ironically, won millions of hearts through his psychic feats of excitement and radical ruthlessness.



The plot of Sholay is designed to fit in the role of a fearless bandit who creates havoc in a small, arid village named Ramgarh. Former police chief Thakur Baldev Singh (Sanjeev Kumar) appoints two fled criminals Veeru (Dharmendra) and Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) to settle his old score with Gabbar. The story is narrated in two flashbacks and the climax depicts the final encounter between Thakur and Gabbar Singh. Veeru and Jai are extremely close pals who vouch for a never-ending friendship. They take up the challenge offered to them by Thakur. The film ends in Jai getting killed in the encounter and Thakur having the last smile over a tyrant Gabbar, who once massacred his entire family and dreams.

Gabbar Singh in Sholay will be remembered not just for depicting the actual scenario in many parts of rural India where terror runs rampant, but also for impeccable acting skills. The role of Gabbar Singh in Sholay is inspired, according to critics, from western classics such as Spaghetti Westerns and Once Upon a Time in the West.

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