Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Amitabh Bachchan’s Iconic Sholay Returns As ‘The Final Cut’; Release Date Revealed

The long wait has finally come to an end, as GP Sippy’s Sholay – The Final Cut, meticulously restored in 4K by the Film Heritage Foundation and featuring the original ending unveiled for the very first time, is all set for a grand release. Sippy Films will be bringing this historic version to an unprecedented 1,500 screens across India on December 12, 2025, marking the biggest-ever release for a restored film in the country. This monumental rollout is a fitting tribute to the return of India’s most iconic cinematic masterpiece to theatres, exactly 50 years after its first release, allowing audiences old and new to experience Sholay in a way they never have before.

About Sholay Final-Cut: A seemingly small tweak in the upcoming re-release of Sholay, titled Sholay – The Final Cut, has triggered a wave of debate among fans. The newly released trailer appears to swap out one of the film’s most iconic lines for a reference that differs significantly in both cultural and historical context.

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In the 1975 classic, audiences fondly remember the moment when Basanti (Hema Malini) teasingly tells Veeru (Dharmendra), “Bade nishaanchi lagte ho,” prompting Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) to quip, “Haan, James Bond ke pote hai yeh.” This beloved exchange now seems to have been altered, sparking discussion and concern among long-time admirers of the film.

After three years of work, the new version now restores the film’s originally written ending. The final cut was first showcased in June at Italy’s Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival, where viewers witnessed Gabbar Singh being killed by Thakur instead of being handed over to the police — a conclusion that had been altered at the insistence of the Central Board of Film Certification during the Emergency in 1975.

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The release comes days after veteran actor Dharmendra's demise. Dharmendra tragically passed away on the morning of November 24, 2025, at his family home in Juhu, at the age of 89. The actor was cremated at Pawan Hans Crematorium in presence of family, close friends and several film industry icons. B-town stars Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Aamir Khan, Ranvir Singh, among others, came to pay their last respects to the Sholay star.