Analysis Of Ramesh Sippy s Sholay - 1845 Words

When it comes to Indian popular culture, there is no film more ingrained in the public consciousness than Ramesh Sippy’s iconic thriller ‘Sholay’ (1975). The film revolves around two criminals, Jai and Veeru (Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra), hired by a retired police officer (Sanjeev Kumar) to exact revenge on a ruthless bandit, Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan), responsible for murdering his family. The film blends several genres such as the Western, Comedy and Musical in its use of mis en scene, cinematography and editing. Sholay can also be deconstructed as a relevant commentary on the political unrest and instability of India in the 1970s, a period marked by regional tensions, war and internal fragility of a nation. The 1970s in India was†¦show more content†¦However, Gandhi’s popularity was destined to be short lived as many parts of the country soon burst into protest over increasing prices and inflation coupled with frustration over inefficient bureaucracy and red tapeism. These protests were most animated in states such as Gujarat and Bihar, where students marched on the streets and united around political activist, Jayaprakash Narayan. When in 1975, a judge in the Allahabad high court ruled that Gandhi’s 1972 electoral victory was void due to governmental interference in campaigning, the opposition demanded Gandhi’s resignation. The ensuing strikes across the country including those of public services such as railways coupled with the opposition’s relentless demands of resignation led Gandhi to declare a state of emergency in 1975 due to a state of internal threat. This decision effectively censored the free press and jailed opposition leaders, marking the start of a dark period in Indian History. These were the culminating political and social conditions in which Sholay was released in 1975. The film encapsulates the instability of India in the 70s through its storyline, mis-en-scene and editing amongst other elements. The most prominent influence that is visibly noticeable in Sholay is that of the Western genre. The film draws influence from filmmakers such as Sergio Leone, especially his work in ‘The Good, The