Dharmendra mixed a little alcohol with coconut water to get into the right spirit on the sets of Sholay. He wallked about fifty kilometers from his hotel to the filming site, disclosed Ramesh Sippy. Hema Malini and veteran director shared similar intriguing stories from the sets of 1975 movie as it completes 50 glorious years. The cult classic went on to become one of the most acclaimed movies in Indian cinema. 

Dharmendra wanted to walk all the way from hotel to the shooting location of Sholay. He began his 50-kilometer walk, stopped along the way, and arrived to the set, revealed Ramesh Sippy while speaking to IANS at a magazine cover launch celebrating the movie's 50 years.

"One day, Dharmendra decided that he wanted to walk all the way from the hotel to the shooting spot, which was almost 50 kilometres away. He started walking around two or three in the morning, stopped briefly in between, and continued till he reached the location at around seven in the morning. After resting for an hour, he came out and was ready to shoot. It was unbelievable, but he was completely determined," the veteran filmmaker said.

Hema Malini added, "He would walk miles and miles."

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Ramesh Sippy also shared a fun side of the late actor in the same conversation. "Sometimes there would be a little vodka mixed into coconut water, a small wink, and the message would pass through. It gave him a certain spirit." The director continued by describing Dharmendra's nature, saying that he frequently displayed a child like innocence and that, in a matter of seconds, he would transform into a strong, serious guy.

Hema Malini On 'Painful' Barefoot Dance

Meanwhile, Hema Malini revealed how physically taxing the filming of her famous dance performance, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, was. In spite of her mother's concerns, the actor revealed that she danced barefoot on scorching rocks during the hottest part of summer, enduring pain to create one of the most iconic scenes in Hindi cinema.

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Hema Malini said, "The sand, the mud and especially the rocks were unbearably hot. Even stepping barefoot on the stones was very painful. My mother was worried and suggested that I wear a thin sole under my feet so that it wouldn’t hurt too much."

"After the shoot, I would put my feet in cold water and wrap them in cold towels to reduce the pain. I think my years of Bharatanatyam practice gave my legs and feet the strength to endure it," she shared. 

Sholay Turned 50

Sholay went on to become one of the best films ever made in India and a cult classic. The 1975 film, which starred Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, and Sachin Pilgaonkar in addition to Hema Malini, created characters and events that endure both on screen and in memory.