Rohit Shetty says Amitabh Bachchan was killed in Sholay because he was a ‘lesser hero’ than Dharmendra; reveals why his father MB Shetty quit the film

Rohit Shetty

recently reminisced about his father's clash of egos with

Ramesh Sippy

, the director of Sholay, which eventually led his father to exit the film. He also recounted the decision of the

Sholay

makers to reshoot the movie after it initially failed to garner a positive response from the audience during its first four days of release.
Discussing Sholay, Rohit mentioned that when the film was initially released, it didn't resonate with the audience for the first four days.

Subsequently, the decision was made to reshoot it. Some believed that

Gabbar

's voice wasn't right, and others suggested bringing back Amit ji because he had become a huge star by the time the film was released. On revisiting the film, it becomes apparent that Amit ji's character is that of a friend, and his performance elevated the role. Considering the era, Rohit noted that the heroine is a widow, and Amit ji didn't have a song in the movie.

Speaking about Sholay, Rohit shared that when the film initially hit theaters, it didn't resonate with the audience for the first four days. As a response, the decision was made to reshoot certain aspects. During this time, opinions surfaced, suggesting that Gabbar's voice wasn't right, and there were recommendations to bring back Amit ji due to his rising stardom. In revisiting the film, one can notice that Amit ji's character shared scenes with

Dharmendra

ji, with no solo moments. Despite being considered the lesser hero compared to Dharam ji, Amit ji's performance was commendable. In the film, the tradition of the lesser hero meeting a tragic end was followed, with Amit ji's character facing this fate. However, the film eventually gained momentum after the initial four days and enjoyed success for 4.5 years.

Rohit shared that his father,

MB Shetty

, had a disagreement with Ramesh Sippy during the making of Sholay. When a team from overseas was brought in for the train sequence, his father decided not to continue with the film. Despite this, Rohit mentioned that his father didn't regret the choice, given his prolific career that spanned over 700 films.
Many consider Sholay as a cult classic in Bollywood, captivating audiences with its intricately crafted script, timeless music, and engaging dialogues.