Sholay to have ‘Films in Concert’ world premiere at London’s Royal Albert Hall in October

Ramesh Sippy’s 1975 film ‘Sholay’ is heading to London’s Royal Albert Hall on October 10 for its Films in Concert world premiere. The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra will perform RD Burman’s score live while the film plays on screen. Melvin Tay will conduct. Sippy Films and esk are producing the event.

The restored version

The screening will not be the version most Indian audiences have seen. It will feature ‘Sholay: The Final Cut’, a recently restored 4K version of the film that reinstates footage removed by the Indian censor board in 1975. The print will be projected in Hindi with English subtitles on a large HD screen in the Hall’s auditorium.

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According to Sippy Films, the restored version will only be available theatrically for a limited window.

About the film

‘Sholay’ released in India in August 1975. The story is set in the fictional village of Ramgarh. Retired police officer Thakur Baldev Singh, played by Sanjeev Kumar, brings in two petty criminals, Jai and Veeru, played by Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra, to help him take down the dacoit Gabbar Singh, played by Amjad Khan. Jaya Bachchan and Hema Malini play Radha and Basanti, the love interests of Jai and Veeru respectively.

The film’s music was composed by RD Burman. Songs from the film including Yeh Dosti, Mehbooba Mehbooba, Holi Ke Din, and Haa Jab Tak Hai Jaan have remained in circulation for five decades.

The Film in Concert format

Films in Concert is a format where a live orchestra performs a film’s original score in sync with the film playing on screen. It has been used for a range of titles across different film traditions. The Sholay screening at the Royal Albert Hall will mark the world premiere of the film in this format.

The Royal Albert Hall in London is one of the most prominent performance venues in the world. It has hosted classical concerts, rock performances, and film screenings over its history.