Overview

• The world premiere screened on June 27 at Bologna’s open-air Piazza Maggiore, where a houseful audience cheered under the stars.
• Film Heritage Foundation and Sippy Films led the restoration at L’Immagine Ritrovata using interpositives and two-colour reversal intermediates from UK archives alongside a 1978 print.
• The restored version reinstates six minutes of footage that had been removed by censors, delivering the director’s original ending in crystal-clear 4K.
• Ramesh Sippy reflected on Sholay’s unlikely rise from a panned debut and box-office slow start to its status as a global cinematic landmark.
• Preservationists say the unveiling underscores broader efforts to safeguard film heritage and introduce classic works in their authentic form to new audiences.